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Ubc  TIlntt>cr0itT5  ot  Cbtcaflo 

FOUNDED  BY  JOHN  D.  ROCKEFELLER 


TRANSPORTATION 


ON  THE 


GREAT  LAKES  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


A    DISSERTATIQN  SUBMITTED   TO    THE   FACULTIES    OF   THE    GRADUATE 

SCHOOLS  OF  ARTS,  LITERATURE,  AND  SCIENCE,  IN  CANDIDACY 

FOR    THE    DEGREE    OF    DOCTOR    OF    PHILOSOPHY 

DEPARTMENT   OF    POLITICAL    ECONOMY 


BY 


GEORGE  GERARD  TUNELL 


[HOUSE  DOC,  m.  .77,  FIFTY-FIFTH  CONGRESS,  SECOND  SESSION] 


mmmmmmfr^assmusS!' 


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i 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PART  I.    Intkoduotion -        •       •        •       -    Page  2 

Growth  of  traffic  upon  the  lakes -        -  2 

(a)    As  shown  by  the  commerce  through  the  Detroit  River  -        -  3 

(6)    As  shown  by  the  growth  of  the  lake  fleet 3 

(c)    As  directly  shown  by  the  statistics 6 

Development  of  commerce  on  the  main  divisions  of  lake  system  -  7 

Striking  facts  concerning  character  of  lake  transportation               -  8 

Changes  in  lake  vessels     -        -        -        ■ 12 

Discussion  of  freight  rates           - 16 

Aebangement  of  statistical  mattjer -        -  18 

APPENDIX  I.    Tables  op  Statistics. 

(a)  A  valuation  of  the  data  furnished  by  Treasury  and  War  Depart- 
ments   19 

(b)  TraflBc  through  Detroit  River 20 

(c)  Traffic  through  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  -        .....  22 

(d)  Tonnage  tables 26 

(e)  Freight  rates 28 

PART  II.     Floub  and  Grain  Traffic 30 

Importance  of  the  water  routes 30 

How  the  railroads  became  competitors 30 

Lake  and  rail  traffic  eastward  from  Chicago       .....  34 

Total  east-bound  traffic                             38 

Traffic  through  the  gulf  ports 48 


APPENDIX  II.    Tables  kklating  to  the  Flour  and  Grain  Traffic 


52 


PART  III.    Lake  Transportation  and  the  Iron-ore  Industry  -        -  60 

Substitution  of  Lake  Superior  for  other  ore 61 

Superiority  of  Lake  Superior  ores  64 

Ore  found  in  favorable  conditions 65 

Highly  developed  facilities  of  transportation,  decks,  etc.  -        -  69 

Freight  rates -.---_-  71 


APPENDIX  III.    Tables  relating  to  Lake  Transportation  and  the 
Iron-obe  Industry 


72 


S-jiTK.-5(^;- 


^    ^ 


?•  'T 


(. 


PART  IV.    Coal  Traffic. 

Growth  of  the  traffic *        *        *        '   ,    an 

Shipping  and  distributinj?  ports  ...   - 

Competition  of  the  lake  and  rail  carriers  »* 

Development  of  dock  facilities  for  handling  coal  '        "   .    '    .        S 

Freight  rates  on  coal  •••'"■'* 

APPENDIX  IV.    Tables  relating  to  the  Coal  Traffic  -        .        •    •       OT 

PART  V.    Lumber  Business  and  Lake  Transportation         .       •        -       94 
Decline  in  the  movement  of  lumber .94 

Explanation  of  this  decline  _. 

Significance  of  change  from  pine  to  hardwood 

Methods  of  handling  lumber  at  docks     ■■''''       97 

The  "  lumber  fleet " .98 

Early  exhaustion  of  pine  -       '.'','        «.„*„       oq 

Exhaustion  of  pine  doubly  important  because  of  its  secondary  eflfects       99 

APPENDIX  V.    Tables  relating  to  the  Lumber  Traffic  -       -        -      lOO 

106 
ACKNOWLEDGMENT      -.--••• 


80 
80 
82 
84 
86 

87 

94 
94 
94 
96 
97 
97 
98 
Y  effects       99 

100 

106 


I 


o-Vni  CoNditKss,  /  HOIJSH  OF 
.'J<l  Ncxsioii,        i       I 


UKIMIKSKNTATIVKS. 


DOflllMENT 

No.  277. 


STATISTICS  or  LAKH  (JOMMHItCK. 


T.  E  T  T  E  R 


KKO.M 


THK  SKCRKTAItY  -^'F  THE  TREASURY, 

TIIANSJIITTINO 

A  REPORT  MADE  TO  THE  BUREAU  OF  STATISTICS  BY  MR.  OEOROB 
O.  TUNELL,  OF  CHICAOO,  ON  LAKE  COMMERCE. 


February  3, 189«. 


-Uefurred  to  tlieCointuittneoii  Intcrotiitu  uud  Kureigii  Coniuiorco 
and  ordered  to  bo  printed. 


Treasury  Dki'Artmknt, 

Office  oi*  thk  Secretary, 
Wmhington,  D.  C,  February  ,7,  1S9S. 
The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Kepresentatives  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  a  report  made  to  the  Hnreuu  ofStatistics, 
Treasury  Department,  on  the  commerce  of  the  Great  Lakes.  This 
report  was  prepared  by  Mr.  George  G.  Tunell,  of  Chicago,  nuder  the 
direction  of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  and  embodies  tlie  first  serious 
attempt  to  describe  statistically  this  important  branch  of  the  domestic 
commerce  of  the  United  States.  1  can  not  too  strongly  urge  the  expedi- 
ency of  making  this  commerce  a  .subject  of  annual  record  and  investiga- 
tion. The  statistics  of  railway  transportation  have  become  a  recognized 
branch  of  the  Government  statistical  service;  but  the  necessary  com- 
plement, the  movement  of  merchandise  on  lakes,  rivers,  and  canals, 
has  been  neglected. 

Compared  with  the  shipping  tonnage  employed  in  the  foreign  com- 
merce of  the  United  States,  the  activity  of  the  lake  shipping  is  far 
greater.  The  bulk  of  transactions  in  the  lake-carrying  interests  is  so 
large  as  to  rank  it  among  the  great  conveyers  of  the  world.  The  con- 
centration upon  a  small  number  of  commodities,  as  well  as  in  a  few 
companies,  appears  to  make  statistical  records  comparatively  simple. 
On  the  important  economic  influences  of  this  trade  I  need  not  dwell. 
They  are  of  vital  importance  in  feeding  domestic  industries  and  in 
permitting  a  further  extension  of  American  commercial  interests  in 
foreign  markets.  These  influences  are  becoming  stronger  each  year, 
and  I  believe  the  time  has  come  when  they  should  be  made  subject  to 
official  record,  in  order  that  they  may  be  intelligently  studied  and 
directed  so  as  to  produce  the  highest  benefits  to  the  industrial  and 
commercial  interests  of  the  United  States. 
KespectfuUy,  yours, 

L.  J.  Gage,  Secretary, 


JU 


1 


J.AKE  COMMEHCE. 


[  rr«|>«r«il  unilor  tlic  dlrertlon  ol'  tlir  ItiirrHii  ofHIiilliitir!!,  Trtuxur)  llepnrtnieiit,  b)  Uvotgf  ^i.  Tunrll.] 


TRANSPORTATION  ON  THB  ORBAT  LAKES. 


*-- 


:'- 


INTHODUOl'lON. 

Many  circiiinstaiices  have  recently  direetetl  attention  to  the  transpor- 
tation facilities  of  the  (Ireat  Lakes.  The  rai»i(l  growth  of  lake  traflic, 
the  increasing  size  of  lake  vessels,  the  rapidity  with  which  ships  are 
losuled  and  nnloadcd,  and  other  developments  of  a  similar  nature  have 
interested  the  curious,  wiiile  the  vital  signiticance  of  cheap  carriage  to 
the  milling,  farming,  and  lumbering  interests,  and  to  their  numerous 
dei)endent  industries,  hits  compelled  the  people  engaged  in  all  these 
occupations  to  give  careful  consideration  to  the  questions  of  lake  ship- 
ping; and  the  whole  subject  of  inland  waterways  has  been  forced 
upon  the  attention  of  men  in  public  life  by  the  appeals  that  have  been 
made  to  Congress  for  large  appropriations  to  immediately  improve 
existing  harbors  and  channels  and  for  the  speedy  construction  of  a  deep 
waterway  from  the  (ireat  Lakes  to  the  sea.  liut,  notwithstanding  this 
widespiead  desire  for  infornmtion  about  the  commerce  on  the  lakes  and 
its  far  reaching  importance  to  several  of  our  great  national  industries, 
lake  transportation  has  been  well-nigh  neglected,  not  only  by  writers 
on  transportation,  but  by  our  Government  as  well;  and  this  in  the  face 
of  the  fact  that  Congress  is  annually  called  upon  to  vote  large  suras  of 
money  to  facilitate  trartic  upon  these  waters. 

Not  until  the  Eleventh  Census  was  taken  were  full  statistics  gathered 
of  the  movement  of  commodities  upon  the  whole  lake  systeni,!  and 
since  then  (1889)  nothing  in  the  way  of  a  comprehensive  report  has 
been  made  or  even  satisfactory  data  collected.*  This  being  the  situa- 
tion, all  hope  of  satisfactorily  setting  forth  the  development  of  lake 
commerce  in  all  its  aspects  may  as  well  at  once  be  abandoned.  In  fact, 
the  data  are  so  meager  and  in  part  so  unreliable  that  it  is  exceedingly 
difficult  even  to  set  forth  the  growth  of  the  total  movement  on  the  lakes. 
As  has  already  been  stated,  no  statistics  of  the  traffic  moved  on  the 
whole  lake  system  can  be  obtained  previous  to  the  year  1889. 

'Ill  1852  aspocial  report  was  8ul)mittoil  toConj^ress,  entitled  "Andrews'  Report  o 
Colonial  and  I  '•«  Trade,"  bnt  this  report  leaves  much  to  be  desired,  and  besides  the 
period  considt  :ed  antedates  that  of  thin  report.  From  tliis  early  date  nothing  com- 
proliensivo  w  s  attempted  until  the  Tenth  Census  was  taken,  and  even  then  only 
commoditio"  jarried  in  steam  vessels  were  covered,  and  this  portion  of  the  subject 
was  not  fully  treated.  The  bulk  of  this  report  was  devoted  to  shipbuilding  and  to 
the  fleets  and  but  little  space  given  to  the  commerce  moved. 

■^See  Appendix  I  for  a  criti<al  examination  of  the  data  furnished  by  the  Treasury 
and  War  Departments.    Mr.  C.  H.  Keep's  report  of  1891  will  there  be  discussed. 
2 


I  IJi'drvr  4J.  Tunpll.l 


S. 


tlie  traimpor- 

)f  lake  tratlic, 
lich  Hliips  are 

r  nature  have 
ap  carriage  to 
leir  uuiiierous 
in  all  these 
s  of  lake  ship- 
been  forced 
1 1  at  have  been 
atcly  improve 
ction  of  a  deep 
istanding  this 

the  lakes  and 
lat  industries, 
nly  by  writers 
his  in  the  face 

large  sums  of 


istics  gathered 
system,'  and 
ve  report  has 
iiug  the  situa- 
pment  of  lake 
)ned.  In  fact, 
is  exceedingly 
it  on  the  lakes, 
moved  on  the 
L889. 

ilrews'  Report  o 
,  and  besides  the 
fitc  nothing  coin- 
even  then  only 
)n  of  the  subject 
pbuilding  and  to . 

by  the  Treasury 
e  discussed. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAK.S    C<  (.MMKKCE,  8 

For  the  later  years  wc  have  nothing  but  thv,  reports  of  the  Chief 
of  Kngineers.'  In  th»'  oarlier  years,  Imwevcr,  tlie  comnierce  pa.ssing 
throngli  the  Detroit  River  was  very  nearly  e(iual  to  the  total  movement 
on  the  lakes,  and  thus  pretty  accurately  retieetcd  the  development  of 
conuner<!e  on  the  whole  system,  and  it  is  therefore  a  caiLse  for  sincere 
regret  that  we  do  not  possess  full  statistics  of  thetrallie  moved  through 
this  cliannol.^  In  recent  years  business  between  Lake  Superior  and 
Lake  Michigan  jiorts  has  largely  increased,  with  the  result  that  the 
commerce  through  the  Detroit  River  is  not  now  so  good  an  index  of 
the  whole  movement  on  the  lakes  as  formerly.  The  growth  of  com- 
merce on  the  (fieat  Lakes,  as  retlected  by  the  amnuntof  tratlic  passing 
through  the  Detroit  Uiver,  is  disclosed  by  the  following  llgures,  which 
have  for  the  most  part  been  taken  from  the  reports  <»f  Col.  O.  M.  Poe, 
Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.  The  statement  covers  the  traftlc  passing 
both  up  and  clown  the  river: 

Commerce  mored  through  the  IMroit  Itiver.  a 


Tear. 

I{eg1itere4l 

tOBIMge. 

Freight 
tonnsga. 

0,  000, 000 

1 

Tear. 

liogUtored 
t(iiiu«K*<' 

10.  046,  (100 
21.«84,(KI0 
22.160,000 
24.  785,  000 

26.  i26.'("lO(y 

Fre-,ht 
tonnage. 

1873  . .  .  - - 

i  1880.. 

19,717,860 
21,7.'i0,  013 

1880  .. 

20.  235, 24» 
17,  572, 240 
17,872,182 
17,8B,-).  174 

18. 04.1.  mn 

16, 777, 828 
lH,068.06n 
18,864.2.'«0 
10.  OUU,  MIO 

1800.. 
1  1891  .. 

1881  .. 

23,  200, 619 

1882  .. 

1802.. 

26,553.819 

18H;)  .. 

1  1893.. 
1894.. 

I8B5.. 

1896  . . 

23,  091.  809 

1884  .. 



• 

24  263,  868 

1885  .. 

1886  .. 

/•J.'i,  845, 679 
120.000,000 

1887  .. 

1888  .. 

27, 900,  S20 

n  See  Ap]H-n(lix  I  lor  tlii)  goiircuH  of  tlieae  Itgures. 

Assuming  now  that  these  figures  are  approximately  correct  and  that 
they  all  vary  to  the  same  extent  and  in  the  same  direction,  we  find  that 
there  has  been  a  substantial  increase  in  the  traffic  passing  through  the 
Detroit  River.  The  traffic  statistics  show  that  there  was  a  rapid  in- 
crease from  1873  to  1>*S0,  but  that  during  the  decade  ending  with  the 
year  1889  there  was  a  isolutely  no  growth.  Inferences  from  these  fig- 
ures, however,  should  be  drawn  very  cautiously.  I  am  forced  to  be- 
lieve that  either  the  figures  for  1873  or  those  for  1880  are  incorrect.  I 
am  of  the  opinion  that  the  remarkable  development  of  traffic  from  1873 
to  1880  did  not  take  place. 

In  discussing  the  points  just  raised  I  shall  present  what  upon  the 
whole  must  be  regarded  as  the  most  satisfactory  evidence  we  have  of 
the  growth  of  traffic  upon  the  Great  Lakes.  It  is  the  growth  of  the 
lake  fleet.  We  have  statistics  of  the  tonnage  of  the  lake  fleet  from 
the  year  1868,  and  their  accuracy  can  not  be  impugned.''  On  one  side 
changes  in  the  volume  of  traffic  would  be  reflected  slowly  by  the  size 
of  the  fleet.   If  traffic  decreased  the  fleet  would  not  at  once  decline,  for 

■  These  reports  are  bused  on  the  data  collected  by  the  custom-house  oflBcials.  No 
atttiDipt  is  made  to  give  the  commerce  for  the  whole  lake  system— simply  the  total 
number  of  clearances,  with  the  total  registered  tonnage. 

-This  was  true  because  there  was  very  littkt  looal  traffic  on  tho  lakes,  and  nearly 
the  wh(de  of  the  long-distance  traffic  paBsr>d  through  this  channel.  In  1889  the 
cargo  tonnage  carried  through  the  river  in  American  vessels  was  19,717,860  tons, 
while  the  shipments  from  all  American  lake  ])ort8  aggregated  but  25,027,717  tons. 
(Eleventh  Census,  Transportation  Business,  Part  II,  pp.  275,  308.) 

•'  That  is,  they  art)  what  they  purport  to  be.  All  rigged  craft,  however,  are  classed 
with  the  sailing  vessels,  and  conseqat'utly  many  vessels  that  are  really  barges  are 
classed  as  sailing  vessels.    This  is  to  be  regretted. 


_ 


:,:l' 


\  ^■ 


I 


4  STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COM.MEHCK. 

tlR'  ships  would  1)0  ill  existence  iiiul  could  not  be  put  to  other  uses  or 
removed  from  the  hikes. 

If,  however,  business  fell  oil  for  ;i  few  yesirs  in  succession,  the  ton- 
naj^e  of  the  fleet  would  surely  be  reduced.  As  the  old  ships  l)ecamc 
iiuseaworthy  or  lis  vessels  were;  wieeked.  lunv  ones  would  not  be  built 
to  tiike  theii''i)laces,  and  the  tonnage  would  .gradually  decline,  for  i)eo- 
pie  do  not  put  moiu'yin  a  losinj;  venture.  An  increase  of  traflic,  unlike 
a  decrease,  is  (piickly  rellected  by  accessions  to  the  fleet.  Years  of 
heavy  tiaHle  are  always  prosperous  years  for  the  shipyards.  It  then 
ap]iears  that  when  the  lieet  is  on  the  decline  or  stationary  it  maybe 
inferred  that  there  has  been  no  growth  of  tialfic,  and  that  when  the 
fleet  is  {i'lowin;;  business  is  inercasinj:'. 

in  order  to  present  the  variations  in  the  tonnage  of  the  lleet  in  such 
a  way  that  the  chaujucs  and  the  whole  movement  can  be  easily  and 
cleirly  aitpri'heiided,  the  figures  have  l)een  (!harted.'  The  relative 
amounts  of  sail,  steam,  and  barge  tonnage  must  be  noted,  tor  on  the 
lakes  a  steamer  is  sujiposed  to  be  able  to  do  two  and  one  fonitli  times 
the  work  of  a  sail  vessel  of  like  tonnage.'  The  barges  make  as  good 
time  as  the  steamers  that  tow  them,  so  the  carrying  power  of  the  barge 
tonnage  is  also  much  greater  than  a  lik»^  amount  of  sail  tonnage.  Tlie 
etfective  carrying  power  of  all  the  vessels  has  been  largely  increased 
by  the  improved  facilities  that  have  been  introduced  for  loading  and 
unloading  vessels. 

From  the  chart  just  mentioned,  which  may  be  found  on  the  page 
oi)i»osite,  it  apiiears  that  from  18(i.S  to  187-!  the  lake  fleet  did  not  quite 
maintain  its  own,  and  tlien  made  rapid  gains  until  ISTo,  when  the  total 
tonnage  stood  at  .■),S7,'_'.U  tons.  From  this  high  point  the  tonnage 
steadily  declined  until  l.S7!>,  when  it  stood  at  .■>r):.',G02  tons.  The  next 
year  the  tonnage  incueased  to  .~».")7,S)4li  tons  and  during  the  two  following 
years  jumi)ed  tt»  048,815  tons  and  then  increased  slowly  until  188(>,  being 
but  (IIH),.!;")!*  tons  in  that  year.  At  about  this  time  the  new  era  in  lake 
transi)ortati(ni  began ;  the  long  stupor  that  had  come  over  the  lake  car- 
riers was  broken  and  lake  transportation  was  transformed  from  an  anti- 
(pxated  to  a  modern  industry.  Since  1880  the  tonnage  on  the  lakes  has 
almost  doubled,  large  accessions  having  been  made  every  year,  the  j^ears 
]8!)4  and  18!>o  excejited.'  The  growth  of  and  changes  in  the  tonnage 
have  now  been  ]iointed  out,  but  the  extent  to  which  these  alterations 
enlarged  the  carrying  capacity  of  the  lake  fleet  still  remaius  to  be  shown. 
As  has  already  been  stated,  it  is  generally  held  that  a  steamer  can  do  two 
and  one  fourtii  times  the  work  of  a  sailing  vessel  of  like  tonnage.  It 
is  obvious,  then,  that  sjjecial  importance  attaches  to  the  increase  of  this 
kind  of  tonnage,  and  by  the  introduction  of  more  powerful  engines  the 
steamer  itself  became  i)rogress,ively  a  more  efficient  instrument. 

lm])roved  facilities  ibr  fueling,  unloading,  and  loading  vessels  have 
also  very  greatly  increased  the  carrying  power  of  the  whole  fleet,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  enlarged  carrying  power  due  to  better  locks  and  the 


Till!  lijifures  may  be  I'ounil  in  Apiieiidix  I. 

-  On  tilt'  ocejin  it  i.<  .generally  licltl  that  a  .steamer  can  do  three  time»  the  work  of  a 
sailiiix  veBsel  of  like  tonnape.  The,  greater  superiority  of  the  steamer  over  the  sail- 
inj;  vessel  on  the  oeean  is  due  to  the  fact  that  oeean  voya};es  are  generally  longer 
than  lake  i-oyages,  and  it  is  while  at  sea  tlnit  the  steamer  gaiu.-t  on  the  sailing  vessel. 
The  sailing  vessel  is  luiloailed.just  aliout  as  rapidly  as  the  steamer. 

'In  'xaii'.luu.g  the  chart  two  facts  should  be  kcjtt  in  mind:  (I)  That  the  years 
given  are  the  liseal  years,  ami  therefore  ended  on  the  ISOth  of  June  of  the  calendar 
year;  and  (2)  that  \essels  are  built  on  contracts  that  fre(|Ueutly  call  for  delivery  at 
a  distant  day,  and  so  building  nuiy  continue  for  some  time  after  a  period  of  limited 
traHie  has  set  in. 


GROSS 


I.] 


G/ross        2      2       g       i^      Ri       15       S 
Tonnage.      5      5       5      5      5      5      5 

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CHART    I. 

GROSS  TONNAGE  ON  NORTHERN  LAKES.  SHOWING  ALSO  RELATIVE  AMOUNT  OF  BARGE.  STEAM.   AND  SAILING  TONNAGE. 


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STATISTIC8    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE.  O 

lighting-  of  dangerous  cliiiiinels  so  as  to  permit  passage  by  night.  Mr. 
A.  B,  Wolvin  int'oruis  me  that  fifteen  years  ago  I't  or  10  round  trips 
were  considered  a  very  good  season's  work  in  the  ore  business  between 
Lake  Superior  and  Ijake  Eric  ports,  whereas  -!li  round  trips  are  now 
considered  nothing  more  tlian  a  fair  season's  work.  1  sliall  now  sliow 
how  the  substitution  of  steam  lor  sails,  and  other  improvements,  have 
enlarged  the  carrying  capacity  of  the  lake  fleet.  In  the  following  esti- 
mates I  have  assumed  that  all  the  iinprovenuMits  other  than  the  substi- 
tution of  steam  ftu-  sails  have  increased  the  efiiciency  of  the  steam 
tonnage  by  75  per  cent.' 

It  must  be  conceded  that  the  estimates  are  conservative.  In  the 
subjoined  table  account  has  been  taken  of  the  greater  carrying  power 
of  steamers  and  other  improvements. 


Tear. 

Sail  anil 
barae,  plim 
stfani  ton- 
nage, multi- 
plied by  3. 

742, 28B  1 
721,098  ; 
881,311 
901,848 

!W2,  032  ; 

1 

1885 

Year. 

1      Siiil  and 

barfie,  pliia 
'    Hti'ain  ton- 
1  iia^o,  mnlti- 
!    plied  by  3. 

1808 

i          1.351,516 

1870 

188'J 

1890 

2,058,278 

2.301,335 

1875 

1880 

1895 

2,  912,  855 

1897 

3,320,592 

This  table  shows  that  the  working  power  of  the  fleet  was  less  in  1870 
than  it  was  in  1868,  but  that  it  increased  rapidly  from  the  former  date 
to  1875,  bat  actually  decreased  from  1875  to  1880  and  increased  rapidly 
from  1880  to  1885.  From  1885  to  1890  the  growth  was  phenomenal,  the 
,  carrying  power  of  the  fleet  being  almost  doubled  in  a  i)eriod  of  five  years. 
Since  1890  the  capacity  of  the  fleet  has  largely  increased,  in  spite  of 
several  years  of  general  business  depression. 

Now  let  us  return  to  the  statement  of  the  traftic  thiough  the  Detroit 
River.  Can  9,000,000  tons  for  1873,  and  !iO,235,249  tons'  for  1880,  and 
19,717,860  tons  for  1J589  be  considered  as  approximately  correct?  The 
chart  opposite  page  4  shows  that  from  1873  to  1880  there  was  ])rac- 
tically  no  increase  in  the  floating  equipment  on  the  lakes,  the  ton- 
nage in  1873  being  520,811  tons  and  in  1880  but  557,942  tons.  By  the 
table  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  ettective  carrying  power  of  the 
fleet  was  increased  by  but  100,000  tons,  steam  having  been  substituted 
I  only  to  a  limited  extent  for  sails.     With  an  increase  of  but  37,131  in 

«,  the  gross  tonnage  afloat  on  the  lakes,  could  more  than  twice  the  amount 

of  trallic  lie  moved  in  1880  as  was  carried  in  1873?  Under  certain  cir- 
cumatances  this  feat  would  be  possible.  If  the  season  of  1873  was  an 
unusually  dull  one  and  a  large  portion  of  the  fleet  was  l^ied  up  for  a  part 
or  the  whole  of  the  sea.  mi  it  ^ould  be  possible,  with  no  large  accessions 
of  tonnage,  to  carry  twice  the  amount  of  freight  in  another  season.  But 
all  the  filets  we  have  show  that  the  year  1873  was  more  than  a  fairly 
good  season.  Rates,  while  not  so  high  ns  during  the  preceding  season, 
were  nevertheless  well  maintained;  the  traffic  through  the  St.  Marys 
Falls  Canal  was  large,  shipments  of  flour  and  grain  from  Chicago  and 
Milwaukee  were  heavy,  and  the  receipts  of  these  commodities  at  Buffalo 

'  It  seemed  liest  to  me  to  make  the  increase  of  steam  tonnage  the  basis  of  the 
estimate,  for  the  other  improvements  in  a  rough  way  went  hand  in  hand  with  the 
increase  of  this  tonnage. 

2  It  is  to  be  noted  that  it  has  been  accepteil  that  the  freight  tonnage  for  1880  was  at 
least  equal  to  the  registered  tonnage  passing  through  this  channel.  Tliis  assumption 
is  generally  convedecl  to  bo  entirely  safe. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


i    i': 


r*. 


were  fully  up  to  the  average.  Eighteen  hundred  ami  seventy-three  was 
a  panic  year,  to  be  sure:  but  biisiness  in  general  was  good  up  to  the 
time  of  the  crash,  which  did  not  come  until  well  along  in  the  autumn. 
This,  then,  being  the  situation,  it  becomes  difficult  to  understand  how, 
if  a  fleet  of  520,811  tons  was  kept  busy  in  1873  in  moving  »,00(),00()  tons 
of  freight  one  of  .')57,942  tons  could  have  succeeded  in  moving  over 
20,()00,(H)0  tons  in  1880. 

A  comparison  of  the  statistics  of  the  traffic  through  the  Detroit 
Kiver  for  the  decade  ending  in  188!)  and  the  growth  of  the  lake  tleet 
during  the  same  interval  seems  to  discredit  the  traffic  statistics.  In 
1880  the  registered  tonnage  passing  through  the  river  was  20,235,219 
tons  and  the  tonnage  of  the  lake  fleet  was  557,042  gross  tons.'  During 
the  succeeding  ten  years  the  registered  tonnage  never  in  any  one  year 
equaled  this  amount,  and  stood  at  10,010,000  tons  in  1880,'  the  year  of 
largest  traffic.  The  tonnage  of  the  lake  Heet,  on  the  other  hand,  stead- 
ily increased  from  557,042  gross  tons  in  1880  to  907,064  gross  tons  in 
1889,  and  the  effective  carrying  capacity  grew  from  982,032  tons  to 
2,058,278  tons,  or  much  more  than  doubled.  These  diverse  facts  are 
difficult  to  harmonize.  It  can  not  be  offered  in  explanation  that  only  a 
small  part  of  the  traffic  on  the  lakes  found  its  way  through  the  Detroit 
Eiver  in  1889,  for  the  traffic  of  this  river  stood  in  about  the  same  rela- 
tion to  the  total  traffic  on  the  lakes  in  1889  as  it  did  in  1880,  Some 
change  had  taken  place,  but  it  was  not  great.  Since  1889  the  Detroit 
Kiver  has  been  progressively  a  poorer  indication  of  the  total  traffic  on 
the  lakes,  but  still  stands  to-day  as  a  pretty  good  index. 

What  the  growth  of  traffic  upon  the  whole  lake  system  has  been  since 
1873  has  now  been  shown  in  indirect  ways.  lu  conclusion,  I  shall  pre- 
sent the  scant  facts  we  have  showing  directly  the  development  of  com- 
merce upon  the  whole  system.  It  has  already  been  stated  that  it  was 
'  not  until  the  Eleventh  Census  was  taken  that  the  total  volume  of  goods 
moved  on  all  kinds  of  vessels  was  ascertained.  The  total  amount  of 
shipments  from  American  lake  ports  for  the  last  census  year  (1889)  was 
25,027,717  net  tons.  The  registered  tonnage  thaf  cleared  from  all  the 
collection  districts  on  the  chain  of  lakes  for  the  year  1893  was  34,571,208 
tons;'  for  the  year  1894  37,5t)5,229  tons,  *  for  the  year  1895  44,295,861 
tons,*  and  for  the  year  1896  53,265,572  tons." 

As  a  rule  the  cargo  tonnage  is  in  excess  of  the  registered  tonnage.^ 
If  it  be  assumed  that  the  cargo  tonnage  was  just  equal  to  the  registered 
tonnage,  there  was  a  gain  in  the  Ave  year  period  under  consideration  m 
the  goods  movement  on  the  whole  lake  system  of  12,537,512  tons  and 
for  the  seven-year  period  a  gain  of  28,237,855  tons,  which  represents  a 

'To  make  this  graud  total  every  registered  ton  on  the  lakes  would  have  to  pass 
through  the  Detroit'  Uiver  36.2  times,  or  a  little  ol'tener  than  once  a  w«ek,  for  a  season 

"  ■'  As  given  by  the  census,  the  freight  tonnage  for  1889  was  19,717,860  tons. 
•■'Annual  Report  Chief  of  Engineers,  1894,  p.  2378.  * 

<ll)id.,  1895,  p.  30ti8.  ,         ..,,,-,        t 

'Ibid.,  1896,  pp.  2895,2896.  Figures  for  1891  and  1895  do  not  include  Canadian 
tonnage;  the  report  for  the  year  1893  leaves  the  pQint  in  doubt. 

"These  figures  were  kindly  furnished  by  Lieut.  Col.  tt.  .1.  Lydecker,  the  Govern- 
ment engineer  in  charge  of  the  iuiproveinents  of  the  Detroit  Kiver. 

7  In  tlio  case  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  the  freight  tonnage  has  been  con8ldera,bly 
in  ext-ess  of  the  registered  tonnage.  Lieut.  .J.  B.  Cavanagh,  in  a  report  to  Brig.  Gen. 
William  P.  Craighill,  Chief  Engineer,  says:  "Since  1885  the  Ireight  toiinage  has 
exceeded  the  registered  tonnage  on  an  average  by  about  8  per  cent. '  (House  Doc. 
No.  110,  Fifty-fourth  Congress,  first  session.)  The  figures  covering  the  commerce  ot 
the  Detroit  River  also  show  that  the  cargo  tonnage  usually  exceeds  the  registered 
tonnage. 


y^-three  was 
1  up  to  the 
he  autumn, 
■stand  how, 
)0(),00()  tons 
joving  over 

the  Detroit 
e  lake  fleet 
itistics.  In 
8  20,235,249 
IS.'  During 
iiy  one  year 
the  year  of 
liand,  stead- 
ross  tons  in 
032  tons  to 
i»e  facts  are 
I  that  only  a 
the  Detroit 
e  same  rela- 
LS80,  Some 
the  Detroit 
:al  traffic  on 

>8  been  since 
I  shall  pre- 
lent  of  coni- 
that  it  was 
ime  of  goods 
,1  amount  of 
ir  (1889)  was 
from  all  the 
18  34,571,208 
>5  44,295,861 

ad  tonnage.^ 
le  registered 
sideration  in 
>12  tons  and 
represents  a 

cl  have  to  pass 
ek,  fur  a  season 

)  tons. 

I 

liule  Caniulian 

ir,  the  Qovern- 

:u  considerably 
rt  to  Brig.  Gen. 
Lt  tonnage  has 
"  (Houso  Doc. 
lie  commerce  of 
the  registered 


STATISTICS    OF    LAlvE    COMMKRCE,  i 

gain  for  the  shorter  period  of  a  trifle  more  than  50  per  cent  and  for  the 
longer  period  of  112.8  per  cent.  In  18S0  all  the  railroads  in  the  I  nited 
States  carried  619,105,030  tons  of  goods,  and  in  1894  1)74,714,747  tons, 
and  in  1896  773,868,710  tons.'  T.cre  was  thus  in  five  years  a  gain  of 
55,549,117  tons,  a  trifle  more  than  9  per  cent,  and  in  seven  years  a  gain 
of  154,703,086  tons,  or  24.9  per  cent.  Tlie  comparison,  tlieretore,  is 
very  favorable  to  the  lakes. 

As  all  the  data  have  now  been  presented  showing  the  growtii  ot  tue 
total  movement  of  commodities  on  tlie  lakes,  the  development  of  tranic 
upon  the  great  divisions  of  the  l.rke  system  will  be  considered.  Here 
ao-aiu  tliere  is  a  great  dearth  of  information,  but  the  situation  is  not  so 
bad  as  it  was  in  the  case  just  considered.  The  problem  must,  however, 
be  approached  in  a  roundabout  way,  for  there  are  no  data  showing  the 
growth  of  tlie  total  movement  on  any  one  of  the  chief  divisions  ot  the 
lake  system.  The  traffic  on  the  lower  lakes  (Lakes  lOrie  and  Ontario) 
is  pretty  accurately  reflected  by  the  movement  of  goods  through  the 
Detroit  Kiver.  Tli'is  is  true,  because,  as  has  already  been  said,  the  local 
business  on  the  lakes  is  comparatively  insigniflcaut.  The  movement 
through  the  Detroit  Kiver  much  more  accurately  indicates  the  total 
traffic  on  the  lower  lakes  than  the  commerce  through  the  river  reflects 
the  aggregate  business  of  the  whole  lake  system,  and  for  the  simple  rea- 
son that  the  local  business  is  less  in  a  small  part  than  on  the  whole 
system.  In  1889  there  was  a  total  goods  movement  through  the  i  )etroit 
Kiver  in  American  Vessels  of  19,717,860  tons,  while  the  total  commerce 
of  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario  and  the  St.  Lawrence  Kiver  in  American 
vessels  was  but  807,125  tons  more,  or  20,524,985  tons.-  If,  now,  it  be 
accepted  that  the  growth  of  the  traffic  through  the  Detroit  Kiver  may 
be  regarded  as  a  fair  index  of  the  development  of  commerce  on  the 
lower  lakes,  it  is  but  necessary  to  refer  to  the  table,  on  page  3,  of  the 
traffic  passing  through  the  river.  ,     ,     «. 

Just  as  the  Detroit  Kiver  furnished  a  statistical  key  to  the  traffic  on 
the  lower  lakes,  so  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Oanal  supplies  a  key  to  the  cona- 
merce  of  the  Lake  Superior  division  of  the  lake  system.  In  fact,  it 
affords  a  better  one,  for  all  of  the  traffic  going  to  and  coming  from  Lake 
Superior  must  passthror'^h  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,'  while  the  lower 
lakes  have  two  outlets.  There  is  also  less  local  business  on  the  Lake 
Superior  division,  and  for  this  reason  also  the  "  Soo"  is  a  better  key  than 
the  Detroit  River.*  As  the  commerce  on  Lake  Superior  has  attained 
large  iiroportions,  the  "Soo"  occupies  a  very  important  position  from  a 
statistical  point  of  view,  and,  fortunately,  there  are  vety  full  statistics 
of  the  traffic  moved  through  it  from  the  date  of  its  opening  in  ISao.' 

1  Statistical  Abstract,  1897,  p.  335.  ^i.    *    «.  ...i 

■^This  amount  is  obtained  by  dividing  by  2  the  difference  between  the  traffic  moved 
through  the  Detroit  River  and  the  snni  of  the  receipts  and  shipments  from  all  porta 
on  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario  and  the  St.  Lawrence  Kiver.  In  this  operation  all  com- 
merce passing  to  ov  from  tlie  lower  lakes  through  the  Detroit  River  is  regardod  as 
long-distance  trsifflc,  and  tlie  reniiiinder  (local  trafflc)  is  divubMl  by  2  becai  ^o  it 
appears  twice— once  as  shipments  and  again  as  receipts.  The  result  thus  obtained 
is  not  to  be  regarded  as  absolutely  correct,  bnt  it  may  be  taken  as  a  close  approxi- 

'This  gateway  is  commonly  known  as  the  "Soo"— the  abbreviation  of  the  longer 
name  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  adopted  by  the  .Jesuit  pioneers  of  the  soventeenth  ceii tui-y. 

•I  During  the  year  1889  the  local  traftic  on  Lake  Superior  amounted  to  3ol,9a7  net 
tons.    This  amount  was  obtained  by  dividing  by  2  the  difference  between  tlio  siini 
of  the  shipments  and  receipts  of  Lake  Superior  ports  and  the  tonuijge  ol  the     Soo 
canal. 

»See  comments  on  these  statistics  in  Appendix  I,  part  1. 


rp^ 


% 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


The  following  table,  taken  from  a  rejiort  of  (leueral  Superintendent 
Wheeler,'  shows  the  growth  of  traffic  upon  the  Lake  Superior  division 
of  the  lake  system: 

(Jomvierre  of  the  SI.  Marys  Falls  Ca)ittl. 


ISSfi . . . 
.  I8r)«  . . . 

1H57  ... 
18."*... 
185!)  . . . 
18(1(1  . . . 
18111  . . . 

18«-.; ... 
I8fl;i . . . 

1861  . . . 
180D  . . . 
]80«... 
1887  . . . 
1««8... 
18«fl... 
1K70... 
1871  ... 
1872. 


Year,  a 


toiinnKX'       toiinugv.  6 


Year,  a 


(lltU,  H'JO 

752,  1(11 

m4, 7:i5 

1873 l,'.>()4,44tl 

1874 1,()70,H57 

1875 l.'J5!),5:i4 

1878    ],541,fi7ti 


1(11),  2.in  1877  . 

10l,4.'iH  1878. 

18(),  H'.'d  1879. 

•Jlll.HlU 18^U  . 

;)5l',(142  i If81  . 

4(i;i,0."i7  1 1882  . 

'J7«.  «:i»  188:1  . 

359,  B12  1884  . 

507,434  1 1885  . 

.'i71,4,m  188H. 

4U9,0<I2  ; ,  1887  . 

4.58,,-.3U  I ;  1888. 

55(1,8911  I i  188!)  . 

432.503  i  1890  . 

524,885  I J  1801  . 


1892  . 

1893  . 

1894  . 
1895. 
1896  . 
1897. 


lti)ji8tiTCil      Kri'ij{]it 
tuniiii|j;u.   I  toiiiiai,a.  fc 

1,439,218  I 

l,(l«7,i:i«    

1,877,(171    

1,734,800    

2.(192,757  !  l,.^67,741 
2,468,  088  1  2,  U2!l,  .'■|21 
2, 042.  2,59  i  2  207, 105 
2,097,837  '  2.  874,  ,557 
3,035,037  i  3,256,828 
4,219,397  I  4,527,759 
4, 897,  .598  i  5,404,840 
5,  i;iO,850  [  8,411,423 
7,221,935  :  7,518,022 
8,454,435  9,041,213 
8,400,885  '  8,888,7.59 
10,847,203  ■  11,214,333 
8, 049,  754  10, 796,  .572 
13, 1 10, 366  '  13, 105,  860 
18,808,781  i  15,062,580 
17,240,418  18,239,061 
17,019,933       18,932,755 


(iTho  ciiiinl  was  net  opened  until  June  18,  1855.    Tli<>  tinlHc  tlirougli  the  Oannrtian  Canal,  which 
WKS  opened  to  conniiene  Sejittnilier  !l,  1805,  is  included  iu  the  above  statement  lor  18!)5-97. 
b  No  roeord  wa»  ke|)t  of  tlie  lacKo  toiinajse,  unlil  June,  1881. 

The  very  rapid  growth  of  the  tonnage  passing  through  the  St.  Marys 
Falls  Oaniil  is  in  striking  contrast  with  the  very  slow  increase  of  that 
passing  through  the  Detroit  Kiver.  The  growth  of  the  trallic  through 
the  former  gateway  has  also  been  much  more  uniform  than  that  through 
the  latter.  Since  the  year  1S8()  business  through  the  St.  Marys  Falls 
Canal  has  increased  wi\h  surprising  rapidity.  This  has  been  due  for 
the  most  part  to  tlie  a.stonishing  development  of  the  iron  mines  of  the 
Lake  Superior  region  during  the  last  fifteen  years.  In  1880  but  077,073 
net  tons  of  iron  ore  were  moved  out  of  Lake  Superior.  Since  1884  the 
business  has  grown  rajadly,  and  during  the  season  of  18{tr»  shipments 
slightly  exceeded  8,()0(»,00()  net  tons  and  constituted  a  little  more  than 
one-haif  of  the  total  movement  of  freight  through  the  canal.  In  1896 
the  large  business  of  the  previous  year  was  not  realized,  but  the  move- 
ment of  iron  ore  during  the  season  of  1897  surpassed  all  records,  and 
amounted  to  10,<>;{3,715  net  tons.  Lumber,  grain,  Hour,  and  coal  are 
the  other  items  which  have  made  the  largest  contributions  to  the 
increased  movement. 

There  still  remains  of  the  lake  system  one  division  to  be  considered; 
it  is  formed  by  Lakes  Michigan,  Huron,  and  St.  Clair,  The  growth  of 
commerce  on  this  group  can  not  be  set  forth,  even  approximately.  The 
traffic  through  the  Detroit  River  conveys  some  idea  of  the  development 
of  the  business  of  this  group,  but  not  a  very  good  one.  This  is  the 
case  because  the  local  traffic  upon  Lake  Michigan  is  too  large  to  be 
ignored,  and  because  there  is  now  a  large  movement  of  iron  ore  and 
lumber  from  the  ports  of  Lake  Superior  to  those  of  Lake  Michigan. 

Several  striking  facts  concerning  the  character  of  lake  transporta- 
tion are  brought  out  by  the  traffic  statistics.  Probably  the  first  to 
arrest  attention  is   the  celerity  with  which  cargoes  are   loaded  and 

'Mr.  Wheeler  is  the  Government  engineer  in  charge  of  the  canal. 


>>»-MtM«aM«tia 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


# 


eriiitendent 
ior  division 


■red 


Krflulit 


216    

i:;(i   

ii71    

81)0    

i,r.n7,7ii 

11x8  '      2,  02'.l,  Ml 

25!)  I       2  207,105 

837  2.  874,  Ml 

i»:i7  I      ;i,  256,  028 

:i97  !      4,  S27,75» 

ri!l8  :       5,404,6411 

85'.)  6,411, 4211 

iWS  7, 516,  022 

435  0, 041,213 

685  8, 888.  759 

20,3  11,214,3.13 

754  10, 796,  ,572 

366  13, 105,  800 

781  15,062,580 

418  16,239,061 

933  18,982,755 


iiiii  Cnnnl,  wliich 
)5-»7. 


le  St.  Marys 
ease  of  that 
^tie  through 
;hattlir()U}?h 
Marys  Falls 
)eeii  due  for 
nines  of  the 
but  077,073 
tjce  1884  the 
n  shipments 
e  more  than 
al.  In  1896 
It  the  move- 
records,  and 
.nd  coal  are 
tions  to  tlie 

considered ; 

16  growth  of 

lately.    The 

levelopment 

This  is  the 

hirge  to  be 

ron  ore  and 

[ichigan. 

transporta- 

the  lirst  to 

loaded  and 

lual. 


unloaded.  Instead  of  losing  days  in  receiving  and  discharging  cargoes, 
as  was  once  the  case,  only  honrs  are  now  lost.  I'erhaps  this  statement 
is  not  strong  enough,  for  if  averages  conld  be  (ibtained  it  w(mld  juoba- 
bly  be  found  that  it  does  not  now  reqnire  so  many  honrs  to  load  and 
unload  as  it  did  days  some  years  ago.  Vessels  lose  almost  no  time  at 
the  docks.  It  is  almost  literally  tnie  that  they  are  constantly  going  or 
coming;  that  is,  they  arc  nearly  all  the  time  engaged  in  tiic  work  for 
which  they  were  designed,  namely,  carrying  goods.  This  great  dis- 
patch is  in  a  large  mea.sure  gained  by  building  vessels  and  docks 
adapted  to  each  other.  It  uiust  not,  however,  be  understood  that  this 
development  has  reached  its  final  phase,  for  in  the  handling  of  certain 
commodities  much  yet  remains  to  be  accomplished.  As  the  iron  ore 
business  has  become  concentrated  in  a  few  hands,  with  the  result  that 
the  oie  is  now  conveyed  from  its  natural  bed  in  the  mines  to  the  fur- 
nace by  the  same  party,  it  would  be  expected  that  here  would  be  found 
the  ujost  harmonious  and  complete  development  of  machinery  for  the 
cheap  and  expeditious  handling  of  freight,  and  such  is  the  (-ase.  The 
docks  have  been  so  constru(!ted  that  ore  may  be  spouted  into  all  the 
hatches  of  the  ship  at  the  same  time,  and  just  recently  a  dock  has  been 
completed  equipped  with  such  a  large  number  of  hoists  as  to  permit  ore 
to  be  raised  from  all  of  the  hatches  simultaneously  of  even  the  largest 
vessels.'  Much  progress  has  aLso  been  made  in  the  expeditious  han- 
dling of  other  commodities,  particularly  coal.- 

Another  change  which  has  materially  reduced  the  time  vessels  lo.se 
in  port  is  the  new  method  of  fueling.  Instead  of  the  vessel  going  to 
the  docks  to.bfe  coaled,  at  a  great  sacrifice  of  time,  the  fuel  is  now 
brought  alongside  the  vessel  on  a  scow  or  barge  and  put  on  board  while 
the  ship  is  being  loaded  or  unloaded. 

The  importance  of  these  two  changes  can  not  easily  be  overestimated. 
They  largely  account  for  the  fact  that  while  fifteen  or  sixteen  round  trips 
from  the  head  of  Lake  Superior  to  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie  were  regarded 
as  a  good  season's  average  fifteen  years  ago,  nothing  short  of  twenty- 
two  would  now  be  consideied  as  satisfactory  in  the  iron  ore  traffic;.  Our 
interest  does  not  center  in  the  mechanical  improvements  that  liave 
made  this  greater  number  of  trips  [)ossible.  It  lies  rather  in  the  influ- 
ence the  larger  number  of  tri[)s  may  have  upon  the  cost  of  transporta- 
tion and  ultimately  upon  rates,  and  when  these  are  taken  up  in  detail 
tiie  imiirovemeiits  that  have  increased  by  more  than  one-third  the 
eftective  carrying  power  of  vessels  will  again  be  considered. 

Another  striking  fact  of  lake  traffic  is  its  extreme  simplicity.  It 
is  in  the  main  made  up  of  but  few  commodities.  The  articles  which 
constitute  the  great  bulk — almost  the  whole — of  the  commerce  moved 
are  the  crude  products  of  the  extractive  industries.  The  mines,  the 
forests,  and  the  grain  fields  of  the  territory  about  the  Great  Lakes  are 
the  sources  in  which,  the  mass  of  the  traffic  originates.  During  the 
last  census  year  the  three  commodities — iron  ore,  lumber,  and  coal — 
contributed  75.73  per  cent  of  the  tonnage  of  the  lakes,  and  grain  and 
mill  products  contributed  16.1.5  of  the  remaining  24.27  per  cent,  thus 
leaving  but  8.12  per  cent  undistributed.'' 

During  the  navigation  season  of  1896  there  jmssed  through  the  St. 

'  ThiH  dock  is  located  at  Conueuut,  and  is  the  property  of  the  new  minerul  railroad, 
the  Pitttsburg,  KeKm-nier  and  Lake  Erie. 

^Notliing  more  ou  tliis  ]ioiiit  will  be  said  at  this  time,  for  ns  encli  of  the  lending 
conimoditicH  that  go  to  make  up  lake  coiuuiorce  is  studied  the  niachinery  used  in 
moving  it  will  be  cousiden-d  at  length. 

'Eleventh  Census,  Transportation  Basiness,  Part  II,  p.  308. 


m 


n 


10 


S'l'ATlSTICS   OF    LAKK    COMMBRCR. 


Marys  Falls  Canal  16,L'31),(Mn  net  tons  of  freight.    To  this  amount  iron 
ore,  lumber,  coal,  grain,  and  Hour  contributed  15,i32,y9;{  tons. 

In  a  very  largo  measure  the  tratlic  of  the  Detroit  River  presents  the 
sanie  simplicity  ns  that  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal.  Several  of  the 
articles,  however,  which  were  rather  insignificant  among  the  commodi- 
ties sent  through  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  attained  some  degree  of 
importance  among  the  items  of  freight  passing  through  the  Detroit 
liiver.  During  the  navigation  season  of  1895  iron  ore  and  finished 
iron,  coal,  grain  and  tlour,  and  lumber  (not  including  logs)  contributed 
-»3,104,2;«>  tons  to  the  lir),.S45,679  net  tons  of  freight  passing  through 
the  river.  In  order  to  more  clearly  set  forth  the  simplicity  of  lake 
traihc  a  detailed  statement  of  the  commerce  i>a88ing  through  these 
two  channels  will  be  inserted. 

Stutenwnt  of  the  freight  tvaffio  through  the  St.  Marii»  Fulls  Canal  for  the  staHon  of  1896. a 


ItemH. 


Coul lie t  tons . 

Flour Imrrt'la. 

Wheat bimhelN. 

Uraiii,  lixHudiiiK  wheat ilo... 

Maniiractiiroil  ami  pig  iroii.uet  tons. 
Salt barrels . 


Total       i, 
traffic.     ]i 

;!,023,:!40  1 

8,882,8.18 

0:(,  2M,  463 

27,  44H,  071 

121,872 

237.315 

Items. 


Total 
traffic. 


f'opiier net  tons..  116,872 

Iron  ore do....  7,009,250 

Liiinber M  I'eet.ll.M..  084,880 

Silver  ore.  in  bullion net  tons..!  240 

lliiiliUntJ  stone ilo 17,731 

Unclas«iHe<\  freight do. . . . ]  520, 851 


oThe  commerce  passing  through  the  Canadian  Canal  is  hiclndcd. 

Commerce  of  the  Detroit  River  during  the  season  of  1S96,  romprising  staples  only,  and  only 
audi  staples  as  were  shipped  on  vessels  that  cleared  from  United  States  ports. a 


Commodity. 


Iron  ore  and  finished  iron, 
per  ore 


Amount. 


8oa^r- 


Silver  ore 

Building  slone : •  -  ■ 

Cement  .Imrrols. 

Wheat bushes. 

Flour -barreU. 

Corn bushels. 


Rye,  barley,  and  oats ''**•  • 

Flax  and  grass  seed ...do....: 

Salt barrols.. 

Shingles  and  laths pieces... 

Telegraph  poles -,  -  -  ■  ••}";; " '  i 

Logs    .. teet,l.M..| 

Lumber ......Uo...., 

Provisions hogsheads..: 

Unclassified  freight ; 


711,078 

59, 425, 842 

n.  536, 240 

47.  334,  981 

39,116,202 

3.410,461 

703,078 

199, 170,  000 

165, 734 

05,000,000 

,  098, 040, 400 

609,000 


Total. 


Net  tons. 


8,451,688 

107, 147 

7, 834, 942 

100 

347,000 

106, 677 

1, 865,  735 

1, 153, 620 

1, 314, 403 

8i4, 701 

77,  516 

98, 000 

50, 000 

42, 000 

152, 500 

1.639,000 

130, 500 

1,630,000 


25, 845, 670 


o  Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  1890,  Part  V,  pp.  2895-2896. 

Another  of  the  conspicuous  features  of  lake  transportation  is  the 
great  preponderance  of  east  bound  over  west-bound  tonnage.  In  1890 
the  total  east-bound  traffic  through  the  Detroit  River  in  American  ves- 
sels was  15,G70,1.'>6  net  tons,  while  the  west-bound  traffic  was  but 
6,080,757  net  tons.^ 

Although  the  excess  of  east  bound  over  westbound  is  very  large  m 
the  case  of  the  Detroit  River,  it  is  still  more  characteristic  of  the  traf- 

'  Internal  Commerce  of  the  United  States,  1891,  p.  xxxix.  This  is  the  latest  year 
for  which  we  have  official  statistics  which  distinguish  between  east  and  west-bound 
traffic  passing  through  the  Detroit  River. 


Jil 


STATISTICS   OF    I.AKK    COMMERCE. 


11 


nount  iron 

8, 

eseiitH  tlie 

ral  of  the 

coinniodi- 

degree  of 

le  Detroit 

fiiUHiied 

oiitrihuted 

g  tlirough 

ty  of  lake 

ugh  tliese 


iMoii  of  lS96.a 


Total 

traflic. 

8.. 

118,872 

7,  IKW,  250 

i.. 

0«4,g8Q 

H.. 

240 

17,  731 

... 

520, 851 

only,  and  only 
portta 


Xettoni). 

8,451,688 

107, 147 

7.  834.  942 

100 

347,000 

)78 

106,  677 

M 

1, 865, 735 

UO 

1, 153, 620 

m 

1,314,463 

2U2 

844,791 

161 

77,518 

»78 

08, 000 

KK) 

50,000 

•34 

42,  000 

JOO 

152,  500 

iUO 

1,639,000 

100 

130, 600 

... 

1,630,000 

... 

25, 845, 679 

itiou  is  the 
B.  In  1890 
erican  ves- 
c  was  but 

iry  large  in 
)f  the  traf- 

e  latest  year 
I  west-bound 


lie  passing  tlirough  the  St.  Marya  Falls  Canal;  moreover,  present  indi- 
Ccations  go  to  show  that  the  e(]iiilibriuin  will  be  still  further  disturbed, 
for  the  east-bound  niovenient  tlirough  the  canal  has  recently  been 
inoreaaing  at  a  more  rapid  rate  than  the  west-bound.  For  the  naviga- 
tion season  of  1806,  the  east-bound  commerce  passing  through  the 
United  States  and  Canadian  canals  at  the  Falls  of  St.  >Iary  amounted 
to  lli,7.'57,(MW  net  t^)ns,  while  the  west-bound  tonnage  was  but  .■{,.")(U,9!)S) 
net  tons,'  or  somewhat  more  than  one  fourth  of  the  east-bound. 

The  ditterence  in  volume  between  che  east  and  west  bound  movements 
is  not  so  great  in  the  case  of  the  business  to  and  from  Lake  Michigan 
as  it  is  in  the  case  of  the  other  lakes.  The  great  disparity  which 
exists  between  the  east  and  west  bound  commerce  on  the  lake  system, 
as  a  whole,  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  as  a  nation  we  ship  by  all 
routes  much  more  freight  to  the  East  than  we  receive  from  the  Fast. 
Inequality  of  east  and  west  bound  shipments  is  not  peculiar  to  lake 
transportation;  it  also  characterizes  railroad  trattic  This  diapropor- 
tion  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  in  e.xchange  for  its  heavy  i)roduct8 
of  the  mine,  fleld,  and  forest,  the  West  receives  the  manufactured 
products  of  the  Bast  and  of  foreign  countries.  The  finished  products 
received  in  exchange  do  not  of  course  even  remotely  approa(;h  the 
crude  products  in  weight  and  bnlk. 

Local  traffic  on  the  Great  Lakes  is  comparatively  insignitlcant. 
Nearly  the  whole  of  the  commerce  moved  is  carried  from  one  end  of  the 
lake  system  t(»  the  other.  About  four-fifths  of  the  iron  ore  mined  in 
the  Lake  Superior  region  is  transported  to  Lake  Erie  ports,  and  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  remaining  fifth  is  taken  to  Milwaukee  and  Chicago. 
The  shipments  for  tlie  year  1896  amounted  to  9,934,446  gross  tons;  of 
this  amount  8,026,432  tons,  or  about  four- fifths,  were  received  at  Lake 
Erfe  ports.^ 

Nearly  all  of  the  grain  and  flour  moved  on  Lake  Superior  is  shipped 
from  Duluth,  West  Superior,  and  Ashland,  at  the  extreme  western  end 
of  the  lake,  to  Buffalo,  at  the  extreme  eastern  end  of  Lake  Erie,  or  a 
distance  of  approximately  1,000  statute  miles.  And  the  bulk  of  the 
grain  and  flour  and  other  mill  products  transported  on  Lake  Michigan 
originates  in  Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  at  the  southern  end  of  the  lake, 
and  is  transported  to  Buffalo,  at  the  other  end  of  the  lake  system.  The 
total  shipments  of  wheat,  corn,  and  other  grain  in  the  last  census  year 
(1889)  aggregated  3,401,881  tons,  and  of  this  amount  3,008,901  tons 
were  shipped  from  the  ports  of  lakes  Michigan  and  Superior.  The 
receipts  at  the  ports  of  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario  and  the  St.  Lawrence 
Biver  aggregated  2,902,378  tons.  It  must  not  be  inferred,  however, 
that  the  whole  of  the  difference  represents  local  traffic,  for  upon  the 
whole  lake  system  shipments  exceeded  receipts  by  421,421  tons,  and 
a  large  part  of  this  excess  found  its  wjiy  to  Canadian  ports  on  the  lower 
lakes.  The  total  shipments  of  mill  products  amounted  to  894,123  tons, 
and  of  this  amount  825,637  tons  were  shipped  from  the  ports  of  Lakes 
Michigan  and  Superior.  Receipts  at  the  iK>rts  of  lakes  Erie  and  Ontario 
and  the  St.  Lawrence  aggregated  861,187  tons.^ 

Lumber,  the  one  large  item  remaining  of  the  east  and  south  bound 
freight,  is  also,  for  the  most  part,  long-distance  freight,  but  its  places 

'  These  figures  were  kindly  fnrniahed  by  the  officers  in  charge  of  the  canal. 

'  See  Appendix  III  for  detailed  statement  of  shipment  and  receipt  of  iron  ore  by 
ports  for  a  series  of  years. 

^  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  receipts  of  mill  products  exceeded  the  shipments  by 
97,943  tons.  There  were  some  importations  from  Canada,  but  it  seems  hardly  prob- 
able that  they  equaled  this  amount. 


19 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKK    C(»M.MERCE. 


of  origin  and  destination  are  .so  nnnu^rouH  that  tliis  fact  can  not  easily 
be  pointed  out.  The  west  bound  tradic  consistH  sthiiost  entirely  of  the 
one  artii'le  coal.  It  i'()nn.s  cargoes  for  vessels  on  return  trips  up  the 
hikes,  and  as  it  is  shipped  from  Lake  I'irie  ports  and  in  the  nuuu  is 
carried  to  the  ports  at  the  far  ends  of  lakes  .Michigan  and  Sni)erior,  it 
too  is  long  distan<'e  freight.  In  the  hist  census  year  the  total  niove- 
nient  of  coal  and  coki^  was  (»,1()."),7!M>  tons.' 

The  shipments  from  Lake  l^rie  ports  aggregated  .■»,iy(J,181i  tons,  and 
the  receipts  at  the  ]>orts  of  lakes  Mii  higan  and  Superior  were  4,fJll>,(»!)0 
tons.  The  total  shipments  on  the  lakes  exceeded  receipts  by  1»4;{,32S 
tons,  and  ])robably  the  bulk  of  this  excess  represents  exportations  to 
Canada,  some  ol'  wiiich  was  carried  well  up  the  lakes.  All  the  large 
items  of  lake  eoninierce  have  now  been  con.sidered,  and  it  has  been 
fiMind  that  in  general  they  may  be  regarded  as  long  distance  freight. 
This  is  ecpially  true  of  most  of  the  smaller  items  and  of  the  pai  kage 
freight,  lint  limitations  of  space  forbid  a  detailed  examination  of  the 
various  items.  I  n  conclii.sion,  some  general  evidence  of  recent  date  will 
be  submitted  to  show  the  preponderance  of  the  through  traflic.  (leii- 
eral  Sni)erintendeiit  Wheeler  reports  that  the  average  distance  that  the 
l(i,l.'3}),(Kil  tons  of  freight  which  i)as.sed  through  the  St.  Marys  Canal 
in  189(5  were  carried  was  S30.4  miles.  And  in  the  brief  recently  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  C.  II.  Keep  for  the  Lake  Carrier.s'  Assiiciatiou  it  is  stated 
that  the  average  length  of  haul  for  the  L'9,(>00,()U0  tons  of  freight  that 
pa.ssed  Detroit  in  LSIK")  was  750  miles. 

Far-reaching  changes  in  the  instrumentalities  employed  in  the  move- 
ment of  lake  commerce  have  lately  taken  place.  Not  (mly  has  there 
been  a  very  rapid  increase  in  the  size  of  the  vessels,  but  there  has  also 
been  a  revolution  in  the  materials  u.sed  in  their  construction  and  in  the 
motive  power  emph>yed.  In  1S1»8  the  avei  age  size  of  the  sailing  veslfels 
on  the  lakes  was  LjS  gross  tons;  in  1870  it  was  L")0  tons;  a  decade 
later  it  had  increaserl  to  20!>  tons,  and  two  decades  later  to  258  tons, 
while  in  LS97  the  average  tonnage  of  the  sailing  vessels  was  .330  gross 
tons.  Steamers  have  increased  in  size  even  more  rapidly.  In  1808 
their  average  gross  tonnage  was  "31  tons,  and  in  187(),  223  tons. 

During  the  next  ten  years  it  remai.  .bout  stationary,  being  but  228 
tons  in  ISSO.  The  folh)wing  decade,  however,  witnes.sed  a  very  rapid 
increase,  and  the  average  admeasurement  of  the  steamers  that  plied 
on  the  lakes  in  18JK)  was  427  gross  tons.  There  was  still  further 
progress  during  the  succeeding  seven  years,  and  in  1897  the  average 
gross  tonnage  of  the  lake  steamers  had  reached  551  tons,  or  almost 
two  and  one-half  times  what  it  was  in  1870. 

Owing  to  the  comparative  absence  from  Lake  Superior  of  small  craft 
engaged  in  passenger  and  local  freight  business,  the  average  size  of 
the  vessels  in  the  heavy  and  long-distance  freight  traffic  of  the  lakes 
is  much  more  accurately  indicated  by  averages  covering  the  vessels 
employed  in  the  commerce  of  this  lake  than  by  the  figures  tliat  have 
just  been  presented.  In  1870  the  average  registered  tonnage  of  the 
various  kinds  of  vessels  passing  throi'  /"^  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  was 
approximately  375  tons;  in  1880  it  was  about  495,  and  by  1890  it  liad 
increased  to  about  800  tons.  In  1890  it  had  much  more  than  doubled  as 
compared  with  1870,  and  was  920  tons  registered.  Figures  showing  the 
progressive  increase  of  the  average  size  of  the  vessels  constituting  the 
whole  lake  tieet  have  now  been  presented.  These  averages  do  not,  how- 
ever, convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  change  which  has  taken  place,  and 
for  the  obvious  reason  that  because  the  life  of  a  ship  extends  over  a  con- 

I  Coke  is  a  very  small  item. 


Tift'inat^'-'  nrnT-"-   r-*-^!^ —  ■  -■ — 


I  not  easily 
iiely  of  the 
trips  up  the 
he  nuiiu  is 
8iii)erior,  it 
total  movo- 

iw  tons,  mid 

rc4.(il!t,(;!>0 

by  !»4a,3L>8 

ortatioiiH  to 

II  the  larfje 
t  has  bcoii 
nice  freight, 
he  package 
ation  of  the 
Mit  (late  will 
atlic.  Geu- 
nco  that  the 
larys  Canal 
[>cently  pre- 
1  it  is  stated 
freight  that 

a  the  move- 
ly  has  there 
ere  has  also 
n  and  in  the 
ilingvesSBls 
s;  a  decade 
to  258  tons, 
as  330  gross 
ly.  In  1808 
70,  223  tons. 
Bing  but  228 
1  very  rapid 
:'8  that  plied 
still  further 
the  average 
s,  or  almost 

f  small  craft 
irage  size  of 
of  the  lakes 

the  vessels 
es  that  have 
tnage  of  the 
Is  Canal  was 

1890  it  had 
n  doubled  as 
showing  the 
jtituting  the 
do  not,  how- 
m  place,  and 
8  over  a  con- 


:f 


% 


.*2  --M  ^ 


tf 


f6       .       iS) 


asi' 


CHART    II. 

AVLRAOC  QROSS  TONNAGE  OF  SAILING  AND  STEAM  VESSELS 


ft 

1868 
1863 
1870 
1871 
1872 
1873 
1874 
I87S 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1683 

\                                                                                                    ..._..-_.          .- ..         --._-_          _ 

_ 

t 

t 

1 1 

1   ,    ,    ,                                       I P ,          .      ,_,,._,,,_     ..     _ i        > 

IL                                                u^^^jiuZ.                                           L       ^ 

3on       IL Z _!ifcS' ' Z^- 

^°°                —               -/_      :_$£___ — _::e::'^ s 

^1  —  ^ ..— 'j .sM^r-?"..:::^::::: 

200  ::::::::::::?^::::-:->^::::::::i::::::::::51^^:::::-::J^::::  !s:;s 

-•■^Ifi-'i.                ¥t                                        ^                                       ^c-k-                                        J^'--^^                                       'Is 

ITTTr=M4Hl                       1                       l>N                LtW                    Kl                          T 

±                                                           ^»         \Vt                   T 

,00        -- -- Si»^,:l 4\.     

1                                                     ^  ^  ^                  '^ 

J.1                                                            ^""i  — «'' 

„     ""    "            T                      T             "^             "    ""■  ~"~  :::: 

CHART    II. 
I  OF  SAILING  AND  STEAM  VtS&CLS  BUILT  ON  THE  NORTHERN  LANba, 


X"                "^                -       _'^_"",_H--_     4- 

__L                                      -                              _                If 

,.  „ _  J 

_^ i 

_       _       1. 

__                      __             j_ 

[_ 

J 

i. 

_          __                                                                   L. 

_              ..                             J 

_      _         _                                                        _4_X 

t 

__                                                                                                                                                             ^ 

":::_::::::":::":::::::::::"  ""  :::~      :::_:         _                   i      ~ 

L 

_  .     :_:::::::::"::::::::::  ::::~^i"     i: -----  -^-- 

:::::::::::::_::::::::::_:::3^_:::_s::::_:::_:: :^_::__: 

_    __  __:__:  i::::::::""!^:  ::::}:::::::::    14::: — 

kl-AAi  Wm                                                    / 

^ i ^^ 

:::  ::_  :"::::::::::::::  _:::^::~':~::~"  —      ±  "     l~i —      ^    :it 

:__:_:  ::::     :::::::::  : jr  ~  :      i~        i    1\ 

:__:::::::_::^::::::::_:_:::__:::t:-  t  :    l.  -.t    t-t-i 

::  : 12: 3  ^. ^"z    t  it  S 

__     i_  !_:_     _iit:::""i"_        '"  —  h-  -  --     -  .-^--  +  \  - 

^; I      1:^:11 —           "!:"'"":    "           i    -ti 

11 _ ::::_:i::::_"_  :::__:::"::~"ij~  :5:  ~       "  t      St 

_  a--\  i_:i — '  i!zs 1 — X 

-  L    i^  --    ii±i  i:     _ii:i::i_ii_iii    i:"i""  ~      "._  ^  ~  i  ~±i~  i 

..     ^_-      _S^ ,c                    2^^                               ^             ^.^                    J                    A 

__  / :- ___i:i:ii  ^>:::i::::::::5z_:s^:: —  i'    '5'  .    2  :  _.- 

^^ ?^ -.i-i^i^^t::: jCzs ±t s 1 

2    -.-.^^  --  -  rfC-i-i  z:  5_  : — lit  2          s  ~       ^    ~    ^z  ~JL  "■  ~" 

•'^L     /""^i^      ,(S^5i  iii'^  _ii::i:ii355^     -      *  -      t     -        ^~"± —     ~ 

1  f      f            T  rllJ^l    N      W         N       1  '♦"kT T                  IN         /                 \     /^ 

^             52    --%■;  —  :nj^  I  : :s""'t ^zt 

Z                 -                         ^^Z_               \l£^Z            I                    ^.     JZ                         S' 

2                               V           _!__:                        w    ~" 

-^ :::::::::::s;f-::::_::::::. :::_:: 

:::    11:::: 

STATISTICS    OF    LA.KE   COMMERCE.  W 

siderable  period  of  time,  tlie  small  vessels  constructed  in  the  earlier 
periods  are  still  in  existence  to  depress  the  averages  of  the  later  periods. 
To  eliminate  this  source  of  error,  statistics  will  be  given  showing  the 
average  size  of  the  new  construction  year  by  year.'  In  order  to  show 
clearly  the  trend,  these  statistics  are  presented  in  the  form  of  a  chart, 
which  appears  on  the  opposite  page. 

The  chart  clearly  shows  that  the  average  tonnage  of  the  sailing  ves- 
sels has  uot  greatly  iiK-reased,  and  the  average  tonnage  of  the  steamers 
shows  no  remarkable  change  up  to  the  fiscal  year  1887.  From  1887, 
however,  the  average  tonnage  increased  by  leaps  and  bounds.  The 
average  gross  tonnage  of  the  steamers  built  in  188()  was  but  20JL10  tons, 
while  in  1891  it  was  758.72  tons,  and  in  1897  l,'t;i6.91  tons.  This  is  equiv- 
alent to  an  increase  in  size  of  534  per  cent  in  the  twelve  year  period  under 
consideration.  To  enable  one  to  form  an  accurate  conception  of  the 
size  and  carrying  capacity  of  the  propellers  now  being  constructed,  I 
shall  give  the  dimensions  of  a  steamer  now  being  built  for  the  Bessemer 
Steamship  Company  by  F.  W.  Wheeler  &  Co.  This  vessel  is  larger 
than  any  vessel  afloat  on  the  lakes  or  any  other  vessel  now  building. 
She  will  measure  475  feet  over  all,  and  will  have  a  beam  measurement 
of  50  feet  and  a  depth  of  29  feet.  Her  carrying  capacity  will  be  between 
6,500  and  (3,750  gross  tons  on  a  mean  draft  of  17  feet.^ 

These  dinieusions  and  capacity  will  probably  very  soon  be  exceeded, 
for  the  tendency  seems  to  be  toward  still  larger  vessels.  To  give  the 
reader  some  idea  of  the  relative  size  of  lake  and  ocean  vessels,  I  shall 
compare  the  dimensions  of  the  U  rgest  vessel  about  the  lakes  with  those 
of  two  of  the  largest  ocean  ye?  mis— Kaiser  Wilhelm  der  Orosae,  which 
is  the  largest  stfeamer  now  in  service,  and  the  Oceanic,  now  building — 
the  largest  steamer  either  in  service  or  building. 


Uimcnsions.o 


Bensemer 
steamer. 


Eoiser 

Willielra 

tl«r  (JrosBe. 


Oceaiilo. 


I       Feet.  Feet.  Feet. 

Xengthovernll '  1!5  848  704 

LonKthofkeel ■-■--;  "I'S    -.-:  685 

Si::::::::::::::::::-"---"------""----"--'- |       20         «,       46 

a  The  dimenBions  of  theae  ships  were  furnished  by  Mr.  L.  M.  Bowers,  general  manager  of  the  BeHse- 
mer  Steamship  (Jompauv;  Oolrichs  &  Co.,  New  York  agenta  of  Nortli  German  Lloyd,  and  the  >ew 
York  agents  of  the  White  Star  Line. 

It  appears  by  this  table  that  the  Oceanic,  the  largest  ocean  vessel, 
surpasses  the  largest  lake  vessel  in  the  matter  oi  length  by  48  per  cent, 
in  breadth  of  beam  by  36  per  cent,  and  in  depth  by  58  per  cent.  The 
great  disparity  in  the  matter  of  depth  is  explained  by  the  shallowness 
of  the  water  in  the  harbors  and  channels  which  connect  the  lakes. 

Another  conspicuous  feature  of  the  history  of  the  lake  fleet  is  the 
rapid  substitution  of  steam  for  sails  as  a  motive  power.  In  1808  there 
were  in  the  waters  of  the  Great  Lakes  624  steam  vessels,  with  a  meas- 
urement of  144,117  gross  tons,  and  1,855  sailing  vessels,  with  a  measure- 
ment of  293,978  gross  tons.  The  saihng  tonnage  was  thus  a  trifle  more 
than  double  that  of  the  steam  tonnage.  The  relative  importance  of 
these  two  classes  of  vessels  changed  very  slowly  during  the  next  fifteen 
years,  and  it  was  not  until  1884  that  the  steam  exceeded  the  sail  ton- 


'  Those  statistics  may  be  found  in  Appendix  1. 

'  These  facts  were  kindly  furnished  to  me  by  Mr.  L.  M.  Bowers,  general  manager  of 
the  Bessemer  Steamship  Company. 


14 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


'    11% 


uage.  Since  1884  the  spoiling  tonnage,  as  it  appears  on  the  records  of 
the  Bureau  of  Navigation,  has  remained  about  stationary,  being  307,733 
gross  toiiH  in  that  year  and  331,104  gross  tons  in  1897.  Tlie  steam  ton- 
nage, on  tlie  otlier  hand,  has  increased  with  great  rapidity  since  1884, 
and  is  now  nearly  three  times  as  great  as  the  sail  tonnage.  In  reality, 
however,  the  sailing  tonnage  is  very  mnch  less  now  than  it  was  in  1884. 
Many  of  the  vessels  classed  as  sailing  vessels  have  really  been  trans- 
formed into  barges,  tor  they  are  now  habitually  towed.  These  vessels 
are  diHicult  to  classify,  as  they  have  not  been  dismantled.  If  their 
rigging  were  taken  down,  they  would  be  classified  with  the  barges. 
The  law  requires  the  Commissioner  of  Navigation  to  document  and 
report  vessels  by  their  rig.  Whether  canvas  is  occasionally  or  never 
stretched  is  a  matter  into  which  he  can  not  otHcially  enter.  "The  rig's 
the  thing,"  The  acts  of  Congress  assume  that  where  a  vessel  has 
motive  power  of  its  own  it  uses  it,  though  it  is  generally  known  that 
towing  is  resorted  to,  and  to  a  very  great  extent. 

The  tonnage  of  sailing  vessels  on  the  records  of  the  Bureau  of  Navi- 
gation also  includes  a  number  of  vessels  almost  always  spoken  of  on  the 
lakes  as  barges.  These  vessels  form  a  very  respectable  tonnage,  as  most 
of  the  new  steel  barges  fall  within  this  group.  These  barges  are  otlicially 
classified  as  sailing  vessels,  for  the  same  reason  that  many  of  the  ves- 
sels that  were  once  sailing  vessels,  but  are  now  barges,  are  still  otticially 
grouped  with  the  sailing  vessels — namely,  for  the  reason  that  they  are 
rigged.  Most  of  the  new  steel  barges  can  spread  a  limited  amount  of 
canvas,  but  they  are  habitually  towed,  and  only  raise  their  canvas  when 
si  favorable  wind  blows.  The  statistics  without  explanation,  therefore, 
convey  but  a  very  imperfect  idea  of  the  extent  to  which  business  is 
now  being  done  by  sailing  vessels.  Sailing  vessels,  in  the  true  sense, 
have  practically  disappeared  from  Lake  Superior.  When  at  St.  Marys 
Falls  Canal,  I  was  informed,  on  the  Dth  of  September,  by  Mr.  Andrew 
Jackson,  one  of  the  oflflcers  in  charge  of  the  canal,  that  but  six  sailing 
vessels  running  independently  had  been  passed  through  the  locks 
during  tlie  season  of  18!)7.'  Mr.  A.  B.  Wolvin,  a  vessel  owner  and 
one  of  the  largest  shippers  on  the  lakes,  told  me  about  the  middle  of 
September  that  he  had  seen  but  one  sailing  vessel  on  Lake  Superior 
running  independently  in  six  years.''  Sailing  vessels  have  also  largely 
disappeared  from  the  lower  lakes.  More  of  them  remain  on  Lake  Michi- 
gan than  on  any  other  lake.  They  are  largely  engaged  in  transporting 
lumber,  ties,  and  posts,  and  do  not  often  traverse  the  narrow  chan- 
nels connecting  the  different  lakes  through  which  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  be  towed.  With  the  disappearance  of  sailing  vessels,  the  large 
fleets  of  tugs  stationed  at  the  St.  Marys,  St.  Clair,  and  Detroit  rivers 
have  lost  a  once  profitable  employment,  and  have  now  practically 
disappeared. 

Perhaps  the  best  evidence  we  have  of  the  favor  in  which  sad  and 
steam  vessels  are  now  held  aretiie  statistics  of  construction  for  the  last 
two  years.  The  reports  of  the  Commissioner  of  Navigation  show  that 
the  steam  tonnage  constructed  on  the  northern  lakes  during  the  last 
two  fiscal  years  was  almost  eleven  times  that  of  the  sail  tonnage— the 

'  This  mny  surprise  one  faniiliiir  with  the  annual  reports  of  the  commerce  passing 
tlirouuh  the  St.  xVIarys  FsiUs  Canal.  For  instance,  the  latest  report  gives  the  number 
of  sailing  vessels  passed  through  tlie  locks  iu  18t)«  as  4,391.  It  seeras  straiige  that 
80  few  shouhl  use  the  locks  in  1897.  The  situation  is  made  elear  by  an  explanation 
of  the  classitioatioii  adopted  in  the  report.  In  the  canal  report,  all  vessels  not  pro- 
pelled Ity  steam  power,  snch  as  schooners,  barges,  and  eonsorts  of  all  kinds,  and 
which  are  registered  by  the  United  States,  are  classed  as  "sailing  vessels.' 

-It  needs  hardly  to  be  said  that  plieasure  boats  are  not  included  in  this  discussion. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 


15 


he  records  of 
jeiiig  307,733 
le  steam  toii- 
fcy  since  1884, 
III  reality, 
fc  was  in  1884. 
y  been  trans- 
riieae  vessels 
ed.  If  their 
the  barges, 
ocunient  and 
illy  or  never 
"The  rig's 
<  vessel  has 
known  that 

reau  of  Navi- 

)ken  of  on  the 

niige,  as  most 

s  are  oHicially 

ly  of  the  ves- 

still  otticially 

that  they  are 

;ed  amount  of 

canvas  when 

ion,  therefore, 

h  business  is 

le  true  sense, 

1  at  St.  Marys 

1  Mr.  Andrew 

tut  six  sailing 

igh  the  locks 

el  owner  and 

the  middle  of 

jake  Superior 

e  also  largely 

n  Lake  Michi- 

I  transporting 

narrow  chan- 

inld  be  neces- 

sels,  the  large 

Detroit  rivers 

>w  practically 

hich  sail  and 
on  for  the  last 
ion  show  that 
iring  the  last 
tonnage — the 

iminerce  passing 
;ivestlie  niiniber 
tins  Htraiige  that 
au  explnnation 
vessels  not  pro- 
f  all  kintls,  and 
essels." 
this  discussion. 


former  being  137,530.80  tciipi  and  the  latter  12,001. 11  tons.  The  .sailing 
tonnage,  as  here  given,  doe.s  not  include  the  steel  sailing  vessels,  all  of 
which,  I  am  informed  by  Mr.  W.  I.  Babcock,  manager  of  the  Chicago 
Ship  Building  Company,  are  really  barges. 

Steam  is  relied  upon  as  a  motive  i)owertoeven  a  greater  extent  than 
the  statistics  which  liave  been  given  would  indicate.  The  barges  are 
towed  by  the  steamers,  and  so  the  barge  tonnage  is  moved  by  steam 
powi'r.  The  barge  tonnage  on  June  30,  18U7,  as  reported  by  the  Com- 
missioner of  Navigation,  was  00,783  tons.  This  statement  does  not 
include  any  of  the  sailing  vessels  that  are  always  towed  but  have  not 
been  dismantled.  Nor  does  this  statement  include  any  of  the  rigged 
barges  of  new  construction  that  now  form  a  respectable  tonnage;  in 
the  single  year  1897  there  was  a  gross  tonnage  of  rigged  steel  barges 
constructed  of  34,()30.37  tons.  The  statistics  of  construction  and  of 
the  lake  fleet  are  likely  to  be  progressively  misleading  if  continued 
according  to  the  classification  which  now  obtains,  for  transportation  by 
tow  barges  seems  to  be  gaining  in  favor.  This  is  in  part  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  dock  facilities  have  been  so  enlarged  that  the  steamer  and 
her  consort  or  consorts  may  be  unloading  at  the  same  ti»ne.  Formerly, 
as  a  general  thing,  the  boats  could  only  be  unloaded  in  detail,  and  the 
steamer  lost  valuable  time  in  waiting  for  the  barges. 

Circumstances  decidedly  favor  the  substitution  of  steam  for  sails. 
Steamers  are  operated  on  the  Great  Lakes  under  conditions  the  most 
favorable  for  steam  navigation.  Good  steaming  coal  can  be  bought  in 
the  ports  of  the  lakes  at  a  very  low  price,  and  the  voyages  are  very  short 
in  comparison  with  the  long  ocean  voyage,  a  fact  which  makes  it  unnec- 
essary to  carry  a  great  amount  of  dead  freight  in  the  form  of  coal.  The 
comparatively  limited  extent  of  the  lakes  is  favorable  to  steam  naviga- 
tion for  still  another  reason.  In  severe  storms  sailing  vessels  are  helpless 
and  drift  with  the  wind.  On  the  ocean  this  is  not  dangerous,  because 
there  is  sea  room,  but  on  the  lakes  vessels  are  soon  driven  ashore  and 
wrecked.  This  danger  is  not  so  great  in  the  case  of  steamers,  for  they 
can  run  against  the  wind  and  usually  succeed  in  standing  off  from  the 
shore.'  These  facts,  together  with  the  general  desire  of  the  modern 
business  world  for  dispatch,  sufliciently  explain  the  change  from  sails 
to  steam. 

The  increased  size  of  ships  and  tiie  substitution  of  steam  for  sails — 
two  of  the  three  radical  changes  we  have  to  consider — have  rendered 
desirable,  in  order  to  secure  strength  with  lightness  and  elasticity,  the 
third  change,  namely,  the  substitution  of  steel  for  wood  as  the  material 
for  con8tru(!tion.  In  lake  vessels  the  machinery  is  placed  far  aft,  and 
as  the  vibration  is  in  most  cases  very  much  increased  by  the  machinery 
being  in  this  position,  the  hull  must  be  made  unusually  strong.  The 
hulls  of  lake  vessels  are  also  subjected  to  unusual  strains,  because  of 
the  machinery  being  placed  far  aft,  when  the  boats  are  running  light — 
ttiat  is,  without  cargo,  the  explanation  being  that  the  weight  of  the 
machinery  and  coal  sinks  the  stern,  and  in  rough  weather  the  forward 
end  of  the  ship  is  thrown  very  much  out  of  water,  producing  a  heavy 
"  hogging"  strain.  This  has  been  materially  lessened  in  more  modern 
vessels  by  increasing  the  depth  of  the  water  bottom,  and  thus  the  amount 
of  water  carried  when  light,  but  is  at  times  very  much  aggravated  by 
the  practice  of  admitting  free  water  into  the  cargo  holds  aft  in  order  to 
get  the  wheel  well  down  into  the  water  so  it  will  work  effectively. 

'  During  the  navigation  soason  of  1896,  of  the  14  vessels  which  were  stranded  and 
were  a  total  loss,  onlr  2  were  steamers;  the  others  were  schooners.  (The  Marine 
Review,  Vol.  XIV,  No.  24,  p.  7.) 


^T.r  •"iniiiiiiii 


iiiaii 


16 


STATISTICS   01'   LAKE   COMMEHCE. 


With  ti.e  VBS8.1 10,1.10.1  the  stral..*  are  K.«  .•  itb  «'»  "f ';•'' '™S' of 

ts:•':ST,rr:,rs;^'So„l^^^^ 

«n7v  ind  dur  biSy,  the  prelercnco  for  steel  has  bei^ome  very  deculed, 
•S^;8  the  nr  ce  (^^f  steTluts  falleu  very  rapidly  and  that  of  wood  has 
r  i  it  ha  becMH ne  pr<>titable  to  substitute  steel  for  wood.  There  is 
3 nblv  ii'tluMVorld  today  no  place  at  tide  water  where  ship  plates 
??be  ifii  . low.  for  a  less  price  than  they  can  be  manufactured  or  pur- 
Phased  It  the  lake  ports.  Then'  is,  therefore,  every  reason  tor  steel 
hehi?substHuS  for  wood.  In  188(5  there  were  but  six  steel  vessels, 
iTfV.^.n  a^.  rS^^^^^^^^  <S+"'5>  tons  afloat  in  the  lake;  since 

Ss     l^?lha^  Kn  a  rovZl^     in  Ihe  material  of  the  rtoating  eduip^ 
ISSu  tiiere  nas  ueeu  <i  i^^>  tonna<>-e  of  steel  vessels  on  the 

site  naoe  shows  the  wood  and  metal  tonnage  by  years  since  1880. 

L™  of  the  more  etfective  organization  and  use  o    labor  ai  I 
mfteri  lt.rce8  and  the  use  of  improved  facilities  for  handling  freight 

Iw  imn,  .vprnents  wUuh  the  railroad  liavo  introduced  tor  tlio  expe- 
d  tiou/l  Si  ng  of  fS't  »t  terminals  have  been  n.ore  than  equaled 
Sy  r    oek  and  steamlhi,.  com„anie.,  and  the  'f '>a>'y  "'f^j/''^ 

fe^r,tritit^?.,sr?oirSe:':^rtr'r„r^^^^^^ 

I  si  al  now  endeavor  to  show  to  what  extent  rates  have  follen     I^ust 

lent  fluctuations  that  characterize    ake  f»*««-  J^.^^.^V^^^ 

evils  of  an  injudicious  starting  point,  and  also  the  inore  ^i^^-^ij  ^»  1'"^ 

,The«ettgur.,8  include  tho  ivou  vessel.,  which  have  a  gross  toauage  of  about  30,000 
tons. 


al  arraiigeimiiit 

coustructetl  of 
of  wood.  It  is 
f  of  30  per  cent 
1  hull.  Steel  is 
IS  inticli  better, 
elasticity,  buoy- 
le  very  decided, 
lat  of  wood  lias 
,vood.  There  is 
lere  ship  plates 
ifactured  or  pur- 
leasoii  tor  steel 
ix  steel  vessels, 

the  lake;  since 
s  rtoating  e(iuip- 
1  vessels  on  the 
one  half  that  of 
Steel  was  the 
s  of  the  tonnage 
lart  on  the  oppo- 

since  1880. 
Lse  of  labor  and 
handling  freight 
iTient  of  the  per- 
I  etticient  instru- 
possiblc  to  lower 
res  have  been  in 
e  also  have  made 
s,  heavier  rails, 
interpart  on  the 
•e  ettective  locks ; 
;ed  for  the  expe- 
lore  than  equaled 
idity  with  which 
IS  the  marvelous. 

trains,  and  simi- 
1  to  increase  the 
he  improvements 
g  charges  on  the 
firiff  on  the  lakes, 
ave  fallen.    First, 
th  those  of  other 
iting  to  do  this  we 
lamely,  the  period 
rioda  shall  be  con- 
ways  a  perplexing 
)ecauseof  thevio- 
avoid  some  of  the 
lore  clearly  to  por- 
long  ijferiod.    The 
;ween  Chicago  and 
nge.    The  charges 

sauage  of  about  30,000 


CHAR1 

FREIGHT  RATES  ON  WHEAT  (CENTS  PER  BU8» 


Cents. 

1857 

1858 

1859 

1860 

1861 

1862 

1863 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

12 
11 
10 

!  1 

> 

< 

/ 

\ 

J 

r  ■ 

V 

r- 

/ 

■^ 

\ 

j 

f- 

\ 

Jl 

/ 

y 

\ 

K 

\ 

' 

/ 

\ 

9 
8 
7 
6 
5 
4 
3 
2 
1 
0 

\ 

/ 

\ 

\ 

] 

\ 

\ 

/ 

\ 

\ 

/ 

V 

\ 

,1 

/ 

\ 

f 

\ 

1 

\ 

/ 

\ 

/ 

/ 

V 

I 

/ 

/ 

\ 

r~ 

, 

[ 

/ 

/ 

\ 

/ 

V 

/ 

\ 

/ 

\ 

/ 

V 

r 

\ 

\ 

1 

I 

\ 

i 

i 

I 

/ 

\ 

\ 

, 

1 

i 

\ 

I 

f 

\ 

V 

li 

1 

/ 

> 

L 

\ 

I 

/ 

V 

f 

\ 

> 

\ 

\ 

i 

/ 

Jl- 

^ 

a 

•■ 

/ 

\ 

/ 

v 

/'■ 

- 

"* 

— 

\ 

i 

f 

>r 

/ 

I 

J 

I 

f 

\ 

1 

^ 

^ 

s, 

s 

s 

\, 

i 

s 

r 

1 

1 

1 

j  1 

1 

1 

1 

1 
1 

1 

\ 

1 

— 

.,. 

r 

i 
1 

,   1 

1 

- 

1 

\  ■ 

1 

I 

1 

1 

1 

! 

L 

L. 

— 

_ 

_ 

_ 

^ 









^ 

CHART    IV. 

ATE8  ON  WHEAT  (CENTS  PER  BUSHEL)  BY  LAKE  FROM  CHICAQO  TO  BUFFALO. 


1873 
1874 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 
1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1889 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 

1 

1 — 

12 
11 
10 
9 

8 
7 
6 
S 

4 
3 
2 

1 
0 

\ 

\ 

\ 

; 

\ 

V 

\ 

\ 

\ 

V 

\ 

\ 

1 

1 

V 

V 

1 

\ 

/ 

I 

V 

J 

\ 
* 

\ 

i 

f 

\ 

r 

i 

> 

\ 

I 

/ 

\ 

\ 

i 

' 

\ 

^ 

L 

1 

/ 

V 

/ 

1 

1^ 

r 

) 

' 

1 

r 

> 

VJ 

/ 

sj 

k 

V 

A 

k 

J 

V 

s 

J 

^ 

s 

N 

L 

i 

r 

\ 

* 

f 

1 

L 

\ 

■~1 

/ 

f 

s 

/ 

V 

J 

V 

s 

f 

s 

/ 

N 

f 

> 

V 

J 

s 

k 

^ 

"^ 

> 

^ 

^ 

f 

> 

^ 

^ 

y 

s 

v 

> 

"^ 

i; 

N 

s 

/ 

^ 

s 

/ 

- 

1 

'  1 

1 

i 

- 

i 

1 
1   1 

J 

_ 

^ 

J 

— 1 
-J 

_ 

_ 

^ 

__ 

^ 

_ 

_ 

_ 

STATlSTirS    OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 


17 


for  tbis  commodity  alotie  were  charted,  because  wbeat  ia  a  representa- 
tive freight,  and  fairly  reflects  the  general  movement  of  rates.' 

The  chart  shows  that  the  trend  has  been  very  decid«  dly  downward. 
I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  more  minutely  the  downwr  '  movement, 
because  it  is  quite  impossible  to  select  representative  >  rs,  and  the 
chart  presents  the  matter  very  clearly  and  forcibly.  The  first  feature  to 
arrest  attention  is  the  exceedingly  violent  fluctuation  of  the  lake  rates. 
The  very  erratic  movement  of  the  rates  is  explained  by  the  method  of 
fixing  rates  adopted  by  the  lake  carriers,  who  introduce  an  entirely 
new  schedule  at  the  opening  of  each  season  of  navigation  and  alter  it 
many  times  during  the  season.  When  business  is  heavy  the  rates  go 
up,  and  when  business  is  light  the  rates  go  down. 

The  following  table  shows  the  fluctuations  of  a  single  season : 

Current  iceekh)  freiuhta,  per  bushel,  oh  wheat  from  Chicano  to  Itupilo  by  lake  durinii  the 

eeanon  of  1895. 

[Keport  of  Clilcttgo  Board  of  Trade,  1806,  p.  113.] 


These  violent  fluctuations  serve  to  show  the  flexibility  of  the  lake 
charges,  the  readiness  with  which  the  rates  are  adjusted  to  what  the 
traffic  will  bear,  and  stand  in  striking  contrast  with  rail  rates,  which 

respond  but  slowly.  .  ,     ,.        «  *  _ 

As  a  general  thing,  the  discussions  of  lake  rates  are  misleading.  Kateg 
have  sometimes  been  so  selected  as  to  give  one  the  impression  that 
charges  have  fallen  very  rapidly  and  continuously.  The  following  is 
an  example  in  point:  "In  1857  the  average  rate  by  lake  and  canal  on 
a  bushel  of  wheat  from  Chicago  to  New  York  was  25.29  cents ;  in  1870  the 
rate  for  the  same  service  was  17.1  cents  per  bushel ;  in  1880  it  was  12.27 
cents  per  bushel,  and  in  1890  5.85  cents  per  bushel."  Now  note  what  a 
change  is  introduced  by  selecting  the  rates  prevailing  in  1858  instead 
of  1857,  and  in  1871  instead  of  1870: 


Tear. 


18S7 
1870 
1880 
1800 


Bates. 


Tear. 


Oenti. 

25.29  Jl  1858. 

17.10  I!  1871. 

12.27  ;    1880. 

5.85  |i  1890. 


|i 


Rate*. 


Cent!. 

16.28 

20.24 

12.27 

S.85 


These  examples  show  how  important  it  is,  if  it  be  desired  to  communi- 
cate a  correct  impression  of  the  movement  of  rates,  that  the  greatest 
circumspection  be  exercised  in  the  selection  of  the  points  of  the  move- 

i  These  rates  and  those  for  several  other  commodities  may  be  found  in  the  appendices. 
H.  Doc.  277 2 


IH 


STATISTirS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


iiiuiit  that  are  to  be  compared,  and  particularly  in  the  choice  of  the 
initial  point. 

Another  method  of  presenting  hike  frei|<;lits  in  a  very  favorable 
light  is  by  contrasting  them  with  rail  rates,  which  is  usually  done 
in  the  following  manner:  The  average  charge  on  all  the  railroads  in 
tlie  United  States  for  hauling  1  ton  1  mile  for  some  year  is  compared 
w'*^^h  the  average  amount  exacted  for  a  siuiihir  service  on  the  lakes. 
Obviously  this  sort  of  i)ro(!edure  is  unfair  to  the  railways,  for  the  serv- 
ice they  perform  differs  from  that  rendered  by  the  lake  carriers.  The 
railroad  tonnage  is  largely  nmde  up  of  local  freight,  while  tlie  freight 
tonnage  of  tlie  lakes  is  through  traffic,  and  is  composed  of  but  few  com- 
modities, all  of  wiiicli  are  handled  in  large  (luantities.  This  character- 
istic of  lake  commerce  is  of  the  greatest  moment,  for  it  makes  sjicciali- 
/aticm  in  the  sliipping  busin(ss  possible,  and  assures  a  full  cargoof  one 
article  at  one  jjort.  It  is  needless  to  say  tl.at  rates  on  the  lakes  would 
not  be  so  low  as  they  are  if  it  were  necessary  to  so  (tonatruct  vessels  as 
to  enable  tliem  to  carry  a  variety  of  commodities,  and  if  tliey  were  com- 
pelled to  go  to  a  number  of  i>orts  to  collect  the  (sargoes;  and  then,  too, 
it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  lake  hauls  are  usually  very  long  ones — 
a  fact  that  has  a  most  important  bearing  on  rates. 

Another  way  of  showing  the  relative  cost  to  the  public  of  lake  and 
rail  service,  that  is  often  resorted  to,  is  the  compariAju  of  lake  and  rail 
rates  on  some  commodity  which  is  transported  ir.  large  quantities, 
and  for  long  distances,  by  both  carriers.  Wheat  and  corn  are  such  com- 
modities. Have  we  here  proper  conditions  for  comparison?  Clearly 
the  circumstances  are  much  nearer  what  they  should  be  than  they  were 
in  the  case  of  the  comparison  of  ton-mile  charges;  but  even  in  this  in- 
stance the  conditions  are  not  exactly  fair.  Allowance  should  be  made 
for  the  fact  that  the  National  Government  not  only  provides  the  lake 
carriers  with  channels  and  harbors  free  of  charge,  but  also  maintains 
them  in  good  condition  without  compensation.  In  addition,  there  arb 
minor  factors  that  favorably  affect  t*'c  cost  of  the  service  rendered  by 
the  lake  carriers,  such  as  the  liberality  displayed  toward  the  shipping 
interest  by  some  of  our  State  legislatures  in  the  matter  of  taxation,'  and 
the  fact  that  the  railroads  continue  their  service  during  the  winter, 
when  the  cost  of  service  is  manifestly  much  greater  than  during  the 
summer.  Thus  it  must  be  granted  that  even  in  the  case  of  com^mrison 
of  the  lake  and  rail  rates  for  some  commodity  whieb  is  transported  in 
large  quantities  and  for  long  distances  by  both  carriers,  we  have  not 
found  a  fair  basis  upon  which  the  freight  charges  of  the  two  transporta- 
tion agencies  can  be  contrasted,  because  the  community  as  a  whole 
comeB  t«)  the  assistance  of  the  lake  carriers,  and  because  the  service  is 
rendered  by  one  of  the  (iarriers  at  all  times  and  by  the  other  only  at 
certain  seasons  when  conditions  are  favorable. 


As  far  as  possible  the  statistical  matter  has  been  arranged  in  the 
appendices  to  correspond  with  the  main  divisions  of  the  text. — for 
example,  in  Appendix  I  will  be  found  the  tables  that  should  accompany 
the  introductory  part  of  the  report.  Freight  rates  for  any  commodity 
may  be  found  in  the  appendix  corresponding  in  number  to  the  part  of 
the  text  in  which  the  particular  commodity  is  treated. 

'Minnesota  is  a  good  example.  By  an  act  recently  passed,  its  shipping  on  the 
Great  Lakes  is  practieally  exempt  from  taxation.  Vessels  pay  a  State  tux  of  hut  3 
cents  per  net  ton,  and  are  entirely  exempt  from  municipal  taxation.  (Report  of 
Commissioner  of  Navigation,  1895,  p.  202.) 


s, 


choice  of  the 

cry  favorabhf 

UHually  (lone 

e  railroads  in 

r  is  (*oinpared 

on  the  lakes. 

for  the  serv- 

carriers.    The 

ile  the  freight 

f  but  few  com- 

Miischaracter- 

iiil{(>s  spcciali- 

11  cargo  of  one 

iikcs  would 

met  vessels  as 

they  were  coui- 

and  then,  too, 

ry  long  ones — 

lie  of  lake  and 
f  lake  and  rail 
•ge  quantities, 
I  are  such  com- 
ison  ?  Clearly 
than  they  were 
3ven  in  this  in- 
lould  be  made 
•vides  the  lake 
also  maintains 
ition,  there  arb 
ce  rendered  by 
d  the  shipping 
f  taxation,'  and 
ing  the  winter, 
lan  during  the 
B  of  comitarison 
transported  in 
'8,  we  have  not 
two  trail  sporta- 
lity  as  a  whole 
le  the  service  is 
le  other  only  at 


Eirranged  in  the 
'  the  text. — for 
)uld  accompany 
any  commodity 
'  to  the  part  of 


i  Bhipping  on  the 
State  tux  of  but  3 
ation.     (Report  of 


STATISTICS    OF    1,AK«    CoMMKRCK. 


Appendix  I. 


A  VALUATION  OF  THE  DATA  FKRNISHKI)  HY  THK  TKKASIUY  AND  WAR 

DEI'AIM'MF.NTS. 

The  data  collected  by  the  Treasury  Department  fall  under  three 
heads,  (1)  that  concerning  tlie  fleets;  {'2)  that  concerning  the  foreign 
commerce;  (.'<)  that  having  to  do  with  the  coastwise  trndc.  Hut  little 
fault  can  be  found  with  tlie  fa(;ts  concerning  the  fleet  collected  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Commissioner  of  Navigati«»n.  The  accuracy  of 
the  facts  he  iniblislies  can  iu»t  be  questioned,  but  they  might  in  (me 
important  parti(!ular  give  more  inforniati(m  than  they  do;  in  many 
cases  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  the  motive  power  employed.  Vessels 
on  the  lakes  are  now  (classed  as  sailing  vessels,  steamers,  barges,  and 
canal  boats.  All  rigged  craft  are  grouped  together  as  sailing  Acssels. 
As  a  result  of  this  classitication  most  of  the  vessels  (commonly  known 
as  barges  are  called  sailing  vessels,  although  they  are  regularly  towed, 
and  simply  because  they  are  rigged  to  carry  a  limited  anunint  of  canvas. 
Two  sources  of  error  result  from  this  grou])ing:  (1)  Wind  is  made  a  more 
important  motive  power  than  it  really  is,  and  (-)  the  new  sailing  ves- 
sels are  made  to  ajqiear  very  large,  wliile  in  fact  they  are  generally 
very  small  vessels.  I'erhaps  these  sources  of  error  could  be  eliminated 
by  introducing  a  new  group  to  be  known  as  schooner  barges.  To  do 
this,  the  statute;^  would  first  have  to  be  altered. 

Most  of  the  vessels  of  the  old  schooner  fleet  are  now  regularly  towed, 
but  as  they  are  still  rigged  they  are  classed  with  the  sailing  vessels, 
with  the  result  that  wind,  according  to  the  statistics,  still  appears  to 
be  relied  upon  to  a  very  large  extent  as  a  propelling  force.  This  source 
of  error  can  not  apparently  be  removed  from  the  classitication,  for 
most  of  these  vessels  are  in  a  position  to  run  independently  at  any 
moment.  As  these  vessels  are  not  replaced  by  similar  vessels  as  they 
become  too  old  for  service,  or  are  wrecked,  errors  due  to  their  exist- 
ence will  gradually  disappear.  The  statistics  of  our  foreign  trade  car- 
ried on  over  the  lakes  leave  little,  if  anything,  to  be  desired.  The  laws 
seem  to  be  sufficiently  stringent,  and  they  appear  to  be  rigidly  enforced. 
Our  foreign  commerce  over  the  lakes,  however,  is  comparatively  small, 
so  these  wise  regulations  only  cover  a  small  portion  of  the  lake  traffic. 
For  several  reasons  tiie  custom- house  records  of  the  coastwise  com- 
merce of  the  lakes  are  unreliable. 

First  of  all,  the  laws  governing  the  filing  of  manifests  are  not  what 
they  should  be.  They  are  faulty  in  three  respects,  and  these  were 
pointed  out  by  Mr.  C  H.  Keep,  in  his  report  of  1891  on  "  The  Commerce 
and  Shipping  of  the  Great  Lakes."  They  are  as  follows :  Under  exist- 
ing laws  vessels  carrying  goods  from  a  port  in  one  collection  district 
to  another  port  in  the  same  district  are  not  required  to  report  or  clear 
at  the  custom-houses,  and  there  is,  therefore,  no  record  in  the  custom- 
houses of  the  comrao(iities  so  carried.  But  as  the  local  business  on  the 
lakes  is  very  small,  this  does  not  seriously  impair  the  accuracy  of  the 
records.  Second,  there  are  a  number  of  small  ports  on  the  lakes  where 
there  are  no  custom-houses,  but  at  which  a  large  lake  business  is  done. 
Third,  under  the  regulations  that  now  obtain,  a  ship  may  clear  from  a 
port  on  the  lakes  for  another  port,  and  may  stop  at  one  or  more  inter- 
mediate ports,  where  she  may  receive  and  discharge  cargo  without 
reporting  at  the  custom-houses  of  the  intermediate  ports. 

The  records  of  the  custom-houses  at  the  intermediate  ports  will  show 
only  the  business  done  at  such  ports  by  vessels  which  make  them 


■■uy«ew«»aMH 


20 


STATIHTICH    OV    I.AKK    COMMKKC'E. 


their  orif^inal  port  of  deiiaitiire  oi-  iiltiinut^  port  of  (Icstiiiiitioii.  To 
tlie  cxU'iit  to  wliirli  tliii  ports  iiic  iiitvriiicdiatv  portH,  the  records  of 
the  custom  house  will  fall  short  of  the  business  transacted  at  these 
ports.  Krrors  due  to  this  cause  seriously  al!cct  the  value  of  the  records, 
au<l  will  |)rol>ahly  do  so  to  an  increasing;  extent,  for  the  tralllc  of  the 
intermediate  ports  seems  to  be  growing.  The  inaccuracies  resulting 
from  these  three  sources  of  error  seriously  impair  the  value  of  the 
records  of  t  he  coastwise  commerce  of  the  (ireat  Lukes.  There  are,  how- 
ever, still  other  sotirces  of  error,  and  in  comparison  with  which  tiiose 
just  enumerated  are  unimportant.  The  re(|uirement8  of  the  law  are 
not  always  acrui>ulously  lullilled.  The  nuinifcsts<'overing  cargoes  that 
are  tiled  in  the  custom-houses  in  compliaiute  with  the  law  do  uot  always 
give  the  cargoes  <'orrectly. 

lnacenra<Mes  are  due  to  the  following  causes:  (1)  Masters  are  per- 
mitted, under  certain  circumstances,  to  (tlear  at  the  same  time  they 
enter — this  custom  is  productive  of  error  because  masters  luay  not,  for 
a  variety  of  reasons,  take  aboard  what  they  supp«)sed  they  would  when 
they  cleared;  (2)  masters  do  not  often  know  what  they  have  on  board 
when  they  clear,  even  after  their  vessels  are  loaded — in  some  cases  the 
statements  on  the  basis  of  which  freight  is  collected  are  nnide  up  after 
the  ship  has  lelt  port,  and  forwarded  to  the  captain  by  uiail  or  tele- 
graph, and  in  nnmenuis  instances  ca])tains  never  know  what  they  have 
on  board,  as  they  are  simply  directed  to  go  to  a  certain  place  and  load 
(the  manager  of  the  dock  being  informed  how  much  to  put  on),  and 
then  ordered  to  depart  for  a  certain  port,  where  the  nuimiger  of  the 
dock  assumes  all  responsibility  for  records;  (■'{)  in  the  case  of  miscella- 
neous cargoes,  it  would  be  necessary  to  delay  the  departure  of  the  boats 
in  some  cases  in  order  to  give  a  correct  statement  of  the  cargoes,  so  the 
manifests  are  likely  to  be  the  captains'  estimates  of  what  they  have  on 
board,  and  (4)  some  errors  are  due  to  indittierence— in  the  minds  of 
some  captains  the  filing  of  a  manifest  is  a  mere  form,  for  statistics,  in 
their  opinion,  have  no  value. 

Any  attempt  to  remedy  these  evils  should  take  cognizance  of  the  fact 
that  vast  sums  of  money  have  been  expended  in  terminal  facilities,  ii. 
order  to  secure  dispatch  in  loading  and  unloading,  and,  therefore,  regu- 
lations that  would  detain  vessels  would  undo  that  which  has  been 
gained  at  an  enormous  expenditure  of  money  and  energy.  Jf  captains 
are  forced  to  file  correct  statements  of  cargoes,  vessels  would  in  many 
cases  be  detained  for  some  hours,  and  captains  put  to  great  incon- 
venience and  to  considerable  expense.  The  docks  are  usually  scattered 
over  an  enormous  extent  of  territory.  If  a  vessel  finishes  loading  at  1 
o'clock  at  night,  the  captain  may  be  forced  to  walk  several  miles  to  the 
custom-house,  as  the  street  cars  have  probably  stopped  running,  or 
secure  a  carriage  at  no  little  inconvenience  and  expense.  Perhaps  ac- 
curate statistics  could  be  obtained  and  greater  dispatch  given  to  ves- 
sels by  making  the  shippers  instead  of  the  captains  responsible  for 
reports. 

Before  leaving  the  data  furnished  by  the  Treasury  Department  a  word 
must  be  said  about  the  report  on  "The  Commerce  and  Shipping  on  the 
Great  Lakes,"  made  by  Mr.  0.  H.  Keep,  secretary  of  the  Lake  Carriers' 
Association,  and  which  formed  a  part  of  the  "lieport  on  the  Internal 
Commerce  of  the  United  States  for  the  year  1891."  Mr.  Keep,  wherever 
possible,  went  back  of  the  returns  of  the  custom-houses,  and  so  in  a 
measure  eliminated  the  errors  of  these  returns.  Especial  value,  there- 
fore, attaches  to  his  statements. 

The  facts  furnished  by  the  Department  of  War  fall  under  two  heads, 


cstiiiatioii.  To 
the  records  of 
acted  at  these 
ot  the  records, 
e  tralllc  of  the 
acies  residtiii;; 
e  value  of  the 
rhere  are,  how- 
tli  wliicli  tiiose 
oC  tlie  hiw  are 
\iii  cargoes  that 
f  do  not  always 

asters  are  per- 
aiiie  time  they 
IS  iiMiy  not,  tor 
ley  would  when 
have  oil  hoard 
some  cases  the 
'  made  up  after 
)y  mail  or  tele- 
ffliat  they  have 
place  and  load 

0  put  on),  and 
nanager  of  the 
i8e  of  miscella- 
ire  of  the  boats 

cargoes,  so  the 
it  they  have  on 

1  the  minds  of 
ar  statistics,  iu 

nice  of  the  fact 
lal  facilities,  ii. 
therefore,  regu- 
hich  has  been 
y.  Jf  captains 
would  in  many 
to  great  incou- 
mally  scattered 
168  loading  at  1 
ral  miles  to  the 
led  running,  or 
1.  Perhaps  ac- 
sh  given  to  ves- 
responsible  for 

artment  a  word 
Shipping  on  the 
Lake  Carriers' 
>ii  the  Internal 
Keep,  wherever 
is,  and  so  iu  a 
al  value,  there- 

ider  two  heads, 


WTATI«TI<  H    Ol'    LAKK    COMMKKOE. 


21 


(1)  tliose  based  iipcm  the  oiistom-house  lei-ords.  and  (-')  those  collected 
indc|ieiitl»  iitly.  For  the  iiKtst  part  the  statistics  piildislicd  by  the  War 
J)epartmfiit  are  based  upon  tlu'  custom  Ikmisc  rcinrris,  and  no  attempt 
is  made  to  eliminate  the  errors  <»t  these  rctiinis.  The  statements  of 
tralllc  tliioiiiih  tlie  Detroit  Kiver  and  of  the  biisiiiess  traiisuctcd  at  the 
lake  i»oits  me  always,  I  believe,  based  'ip(Mi  the  records  of  the  custom- 
houses, and  are  liit'refoie  subjet-t  to  all  the  (criticisms  that  have  just 
been  pa  sed  upon  these  records.  The  statemeiitsof  tiic  trallic  through 
the  Si.  Marys  Kails  are  based  upon  data  collected  at  tlici  canal  by  the 
otlhiers  in  charge.  These  statements  should,  therefore,  accurately 
rellect  the  coiiimerce  passing  through  this  gateway.  Hiifortuiiately, 
liowi'ver,  they  do.  not,  and  this  in  spite  of  t\w  fact  that  great  care  is 
taken  by  tlu?"  otilcers  in  charge  of  the  canal  to  secure  accurat<'  infor- 
mation. The  etlbrts  of  the  ollicers  are  balked  because  of  the  failure 
of  the  .lake  carri<ns  to  cooperate  with  them.  As  has  already  been 
stated,  iu  many  cases  masters  do  not  know  what  they  have  (Ui  board, 
and  can  not,  even  if  they  would,  give  a  correct  statement  of  their 
cargo.  Many  of  the  captains,  however,  have  a  au[)reme  (Mmteinpt 
for  statistics,  and  so  do  not  atremi)t  to  (ill  out  the  forms  furnished  to 
them  correctly.  IgnoraiK^e  on  the  part  of  the  captains  also  produces 
inaccuracies.  For  example,  the  blanks  furnished  by  the  ollicers  of  the 
canal  call  for  a  statement  of  the  anthracite  and  bituminous  coal  on 
board,  but  in  some  cases  these  items  are  not  given  correctly,  because 
the  masters  do  not  know  that  these  forms  of  coal  corresjiond  with  hard 
and  soft  coal,  respectively.  After  all  criticisms  have  been  made,  how- 
ever, it  must  be  said  that  the  "Soo"  canal  statistics  are  the  best  on  lake 
trattic  collected  by  the  (lovernment. 

Jiefore  leaving  this  subject  1  must  say  that  the  statistics  o'  traffic  on 
the  (heat  Lakes  collected  by  the  National  Government  arc  sinqdy  an 
object  of  contempt  and  ridicule  among  those  engaged  in  lake  transpor- 
tation. It  scarcely  needs  to  be  said  that  the  shippers  and  carriers  are 
fully  aware  of  all  the  criticisms  that  I  have  maile.  The  methods  of 
collecting  tliese  statistics  ought  to  be  radi<:ally  changed,  if  for  no  other 
reason,  simply  because  the  ( Jovernment  can  not  attord  to  permit  its  work 
to  be  held  up  to  scorn.  Lake  shippers  ought  gladly  to  cooperate  with 
the  Government,  for  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  situation  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  in  order  to  enable  Congress  to  make  a  wise  appropriation 
of  money  to  facilitate  commerce  on  these  waters.  Without  a  positive 
basis  of  facts  it  is  impossible  to  plan  a  judicious  scheme  of  improve- 
ments. Any  change  in  the  regulations  governing  the  collection  of 
statistics  which  will  delay  traffic  may  be  expected,  in  the  future  as  in 
the  past,  to  meet  the  opposition  of  the  lake  carriers.  If  the  shipper 
instead  of  the  carrier  were  called  upon  for  a  statement,  there  need  be 
no  delay. 


|i 


\  I 


* 


m 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Tabi.k  I. 


Commerce  moved  through  the  Detroit  River, 


Year. 


I  Rejiistoroil '    Freight 
'    touuage.       toiiunge. 


l873o 

18806 20,  235,  249 

1881 17,572.240  [ 

1882 17,872,182  ! 

1883 17,B95. 174  I 

1884 1  18,045,949 

1885 1  16,777,828  I 

1886 ;  18,968,085  I 

1887 ;  18,864,250  ; 

1888 I  19,099,080  | 


9,000,000 


Year. 


1889.. 

1890  . . 
1891(1. 
1892  e. 
1893^. 
18949- 

189.S.. 


Kegistored      freight 
tonnage.       tonnage. 


646,000 
684,000 
160,000 
785,  COO 


26, 120, 000 


e13, 
21, 
23, 
26, 
23, 
24, 
A  25, 
i29, 
27, 


717,860 
750,913 
209, 61B 
553, 819 
091,899 
263,  868 
845, 679 
HOO.  000 
900,520 


a  Brief  of  the  Lake  Carriers' Aasuriation  in  opposition  to  the  placing  of  the  bridjie  piers  in  the 
Detroit  Kiver,  p.  19,  Tliis  lUx-uineut  wnn  prepared  by  Mr.  C.  U.  Keep,  who  for  some  years  has  been 
■eoretiiry  of  the  Lake  (Jurriers'  Association. 

b  Report  on  the  internul  commerce  of  the  United  States  for  the  year  1891,  p.  xxxix.  The  ftgurea 
do  not  in  uuy  case  include  the  tonnage  of  Canadian  vessels,  a  large  number  of  wliich  use  this  channel. 
During  tlie  year  1890,  according  to  t)ic  estimate  by  Colonel  I'oc.  3,500  Canadian  vessels,  having  an 
aggregate  regiHtei-ed  tonnage  of  350,000  tons,  pusseif  tlirougli  the  river. 

e  For  tlie  cargo  tonnage  of  1889,  see  Eloventli  Census,  Transportation  liusiness,  Part  II,  p.  275. 

dAnnual  Report  of  thn  Cliief  of  Engineers,  1892,  p.  2482. 

«Ibid.,  1393,  p.  3036. 

/Ibid.,  1894,  p.  2378. 

olbid.,  1895,  p.  3068.  ■ 

A  Ibid.,  1896,  pp.  2895,2896. 

i  Brief  of  the  Lake  Carriers'  Association,  p.  15.    These  are  Mr.  C.  H.  Keep's  tigures. 

j  The  statonioiit  for  1896  wan  furnialied  by  Lieut.  Col.  G.  J.  Lydecker.  The  freight  tonnage  for 
1891-1896,  as  given  l>y  the  Government  engineers,  includes  staples  and  only  such  staples  as  were  ship- 
ped on  vessels  that  cleared  from  some  Tnited  States  ]iort. 

Table  II. 

Statement  of  the  commerce  through  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  for  each  calendar  year  from 

ila  opening  in  1855. 


Year. 


18S5. 
1850. 
1857. 
1858. 
1859. 
1860. 
1861. 
1862. 
1863. 
1864. 
1865. 
1866. 
1807  . 
1868. 
1869. 
1870. 
1871. 
1872. 

1873  . 

1874  . 
1875. 
1876. 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 
1880. 
1881. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1886. 
1886. 


June 
May 
May 
Apr. 
May 
May 
May 
Apr. 
Apr. 
May 
Mav 
iliiy 
May 
May 
ilay 
Apr. 
May 
May 
May 
May 
May- 
May 
May 
Apr. 
May 
Apr. 
May 
Apr. 
Slay 
Apr. 
May 
Apr. 


Date  of 

closing 
canal. 

Si.iling 
vessels.  \ 

i 

Nov.  23 

(/.) 

Nov.  28 

(0) 

Nov.  30 

(a) 

Nov.  20 

W      \ 

Nov.  28 

(o) 

Nov.  28 

(0)         i 

1  Nov.  14 

(a)       ' 

'  Nov.  27 

(a)       I 

i  Nov.  24 

(0) 

1  Dec.     4 

1,045  1 

Dec.     3 

602  i 

I  Dec.     3 

655 

Dec.     3 

839 

!  Dec.     3 

817  i 

Nov.  20 

939 

Dec.     1 

1,307  i 

Nov.  29 

1,064 

Nov.  26 

1,'212  1 

Nov.  J8 

1,519  1 

Dec.     2 

833 

Dec.     2 

569  ! 

Nov.  20 

684  1 

Nov.  30 

1,401  ! 

Dec.     3 

1,091 

Dec.     3 

1,403 

Nov.  15" 

1,718 

Dec.     5 

1,706 

Dec.     3 

1,603 

Dec.    11 

1,458 

Dec.   10 

1,709 

Dec.     2 

L689 

Dec.     4 

2,634 

Tonnage  and  class  of  vessels. 


Steamers. 


(o) 

(0) 

(o) 
(o) 
(o) 
(a) 
(a) 
«i) 
(a) 
366 
395 
453 
486 
338 
399 
431 
573 
792 
908 
901 
1,464 
1,733 
1,050 
1,476 
1,618 
1,735 
2,117 
2,739 
2,620 
3,609 
3,354 
4,584 


Unregis-        ,,,  ,  . 

t«™'l         nasaaSes 
craft.        passages. 


m 

(6) 
(6) 
(6) 
(ft) 
(fr) 
(*) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(6) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(6) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(6) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(ft) 
(ft) 


100 
50 
181 
372 
237 
371 
337 
306 


(a) 

(a) 

(a) 

(o) 

(a) 

(a) 

(a) 

(a) 

(a) 
1,411 
997 
1,008 
1,305 
L165 
L338 
1,828 
1,637 
2,004 
2,517 
1,734 
2,033 
2,417 
2,451 
2,567 
3,121 
3,503 
4,004 
4,774 
4,315 
6,689 
6,380 
7,424 


Registered 
tonnage. 


106, 206 

101, 458 

180, 820 

219,  819 

352, 642 

403,  657 

276,  639 

359,  612 

507, 434 

'  571,438 

409,  062 

458. 630 

5.'->6, 899 

432,  583 

524, 885 

U9U,  826 

752, 101 

914,  735 

1, 2U4,  446 

1, 070, 857 

1, 259, 634 

1,  641,  676 

1,  439, 216 
1, 667, 136 
1, 677. 071 
1,734,890 
2, 092,  767 
2. 468, 088 

2,  042,  259 
2, 997, 837 

3,  035, 937 

4,  219,  397 


*  Excluded  from  calculation  of  average  dates. 
a  No  record  kept  until  1864.  ft  No  record  kept  until  1879. 


•iiTft,nf*rh^"'i; 


igistored 
[>nnage. 

Freight 
tonnage. 

,  646, 000 
,  684, 000 
,160,000 
,  785, COO 

c:3,717,8flO 
21,750,913 
23,  209,  619 
28,  5.'>3, 819 
2;i.  091  899 

,  120, 000 

24,  26a.  868 
A  25, 84,^,679 
i29,  (u)O.OOO 

27,000,520 

)  bridjie  piers  in  the 
'  some  yeurs  has  been 

XXXIX.  The  flgiirea 
liich  use  this  channel, 
m  vessels,  having  an 

),  Part  II,  p.  276. 


giires. 

s  freight  tonnage  for 

staples  as  were  sliip- 


tlcndai  year  from 


essols. 

'otal 

Kegisterctl 

aagt's. 

tonnage. 

(o) 

106, 296 

(a) 

101, 458 

(a) 

180, 820 

<«) 

219, 819 

(a) 

352, 642 

(O) 

403,  657 

(O) 

276,  639 

(a) 

359,  612 

(a) 

507, 434 

1,411 

'  571,438 

997 

409,  062 

1,008 

458, 530 

1,305 

556,  899 

1,165 

432,  563 

1,338 

524, 886 

1,  828 

UOU,  826 

1,637 

752, 101 

2, 004 

914,  735 

2,517 

1, 2U4,  448 

1,734 

1, 070, 857 

2,033 

1, 269, 534 

2,417 

1, 641, 676 

2,451 

1,  439, 216 

2,567 

1, 667, 136 

3,121 

1, 677. 071 

3, 603 

],  7.34,  890 

4,004 

2, 092,  767 

4,774 

2. 468, 088 

4,315 

2,  042,  250 

5,689 

2, 997, 837 

6,380 

3,  035, 937 

7,424 

4,  219,  397 

11 1879. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 

Slaiemeni  of  the  commerce  through  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,  «i,..-Contmued. 


23 


Year. 


Date  of 

opening 

canal. 


Date  of 
closing 
canal. 


1887 1  Mny     1 

1888 j  May     7 

1889 1  Apr.  15 

1890 Apr.  20 

1891 ^P'?! 

1892 1  Apr.  18 

1S93 May   ,i 

1894 ;  Apr-  1^ 

1895 1  Apr.  2,5 

1896 \  Apr.  21 

1897 i  Apr.  21 


Dec. 

2 

Dec. 

4 

Dec. 

4 

Dec. 

3 

Dec. 

7 

Dec. 

6 

Dec. 

5 

Dec. 

6 

Dec. 

11 

Dec. 

8 

oDco. 

14 

Tonnage  and  class  of  vessels. 


Sailing 
vessels. 


2,562 
2,009 
2. 635 
2,872 
2,406 
3,324 
2,955 
3,678 
4,790 
4,301 
4,438 


Steamers. 


1  Unri'gis- 
I     terod 
craft. 


Total 
passages. 


5,968 
6,  305 
6,501 
7, 288 
7,339 
8,737 
8, 379 
10, 208 
12,495 
13,404 
12, 020 


825  I 

489 

443 

417 

447  ; 

519  I 

674  1 

807 

871 

820 

704 


0,  366 
7,803 
9,570 
10, 557 
10,191 
12, 580 
12, 008 
14,491 
17,  956 
18,615 
17, 171 


Registered 
tonnage. 


4, 807, 598 
5, 130, 869 
7, 221, 036 
8,454,435 
8,  400,  685 
10, 617, 203 
8,  940,  754 
13,110,366 
16, 808, 781 
17, 249, 418 
17,619,933 


~  ~      oDate  of  closing  Canadian  canal. 

Average  dat«  of  opening  np  to  close  of  «e"»°"  »//a*"„^' ,^^"y  J,-   ,  , 
Average  date  of  closing  up  to  close  of  season  of  1893,  December  l. 


Year. 


1855... 
1868... 
1857... 
1868... 
1869... 
1880  . . 
1861  .. 
1862.. 
1863.. 
1864.. 
1866.. 
1880.. 
1867.. 
18U8  . . 
1869.. 
1870.. 
1871  .. 
1872.. 

1873  .. 

1874  .. 
1875.. 
1876  . . 
1877.. 
1878.. 
1879.. 
1880.. 
1881.. 
1882  . . 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1888. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890 
1891. 
1892  . 
1893. 
1894  . 
1896. 
1896. 
1897  . 


Passenger  and  freiglit  trafBc. 


Passen- 
gers. 


Coal. 


Xet  tons. 
4. 270  i  ■  1,  414 
4,674  1  3,968 

6,  850. '  5,  278 

8, 230  I  4, 118 

.    ...;  8,884 


8,816  I 
8,468 

18.281      ; 

16,985  j 
19,777  1 
14,067  i 
15, 120 
10,  590  I 
17,857 
17, 153  I 
15,859 
26, 830 
30,986 
22,  958 
19,685  I 
30,288  I 
21, 800  ! 
20,394 
18, 979 
25,766 
24,  671 
29, 266 
39, 130 
64, 214 
38, 147 
27, 088 
32, 868 
25, 558 
25,712 
24, 856 
26,190 
25,896 
18, 880 
27, 236 
31, 656 
37,  068 
40, 213 


11,507 
11,346 
7,805 
11,282 


Flour.     I     Wheat. 


19, 015 

22, 927 

25,814 

27, 850 

15,  052 

46.  798 

80,  815 

06,780 

81, 123 

101,280 

124, 734 

91,575 

91,  868 

110,704 

170, 501 

295, 647 

430, 184 

714,  444 

706, 379 

894,  991 

1, 009, 999 

1, 352,  987 

2, 105, 041 

1,  629, 197 
2, 176,  925 
2, 507, 532 

2,  '104, 286 
3, 008, 120 
2,  797, 184 
2, 574, 362 
3, 023,  340 
3, 039, 172 


Barreli. 

10,289 
17,886 
16,680  ' 
13,782  1 
39,459  : 
60,250 
22,743  ; 
17,291 
31,975  1 
33,937  i 
34,985  ' 
33,803  I 
28. 345 
27,372  i 
32,007  ! 
33,548  i 
26,060  < 

136,411 ; 

172,692  j 

179,855  j 

309,991 

315,224 

355, 117 

344, 599 

451,000 

623, 860 

605,453 

344, 044 

687, 031 

1, 248,  243 

1, 440, 003 

1,759,385 

1,872,735 

2, 190, 725 

2, 228, 707 

3.  239, 104 

3, 780, 143 

6,  418, 136 

7, 420, 874 

8, 965, 773 

8, 902, 302 

8, 882,  858 

8,921,143 


Grain,       Manufac- 

otber  than   turedand] 

wheat.       pig  iron.  I 


Salt. 


BuiheU. 

(a) 
(a) 
(o) 
(a) 
(a) 
(o) 

(O) 

(o) 
(o) 
(o) 
(a) 

(O) 

(a) 
(o) 

<">  ^ 
49,700 

1,378,705 

567, 134 

2,119,997 

1,120,016 

1, 213, 788 

1,971,549 

1, 349, 738 

1,  872, 940 

2,  603, 866 
2,105,920 
3,456,965 
3, 728, 866 
6,900,473 

11,986,791 
15, 274, 213 
18, 991, 485 
23,  006,  620 
18, 596, 351 
16,231,864 
16, 217,  370 
38, 818, 570 
40,  994, 780 
43,481,862 
34,  889, 483 
40,218,260 
83, 258, 463 
55, 024, 302 


Bushels. 


33,908 
22,  300 
10, 500 
71,738 

133, 437 
76,830 
59,062 
78,480 

143,  560 


i 


Vet  tons. 
1,040 
781 
1,325 
2,597 
5,504 


Barrels. 
687 
464 

1,500 
950 

2, 737 


229. 926 
249, 031 
285, 123 
323.501 
304, 077 
308, 823 
445,  774 
309,  646 
149,999 

250. 080 
407,  772 
343,  542 
264,  874 
051, 498 

2,  547, 106 
367,  8:18 
473, 129 
778, 652 
517, 103 

422. 081 
715, 373 
775, 186 

2, 022, 308 
2, 133, 246 
2, 044, 384 
1,032,104 
1,666,690 
2, 405, 344 
1,  545, 008 
8, 328, 694 
27, 448, 071 
24,  889,  688 


4, 194 

6,  438  ' 

6,681  I 

7,643 

7,346 

13,235 

20,602  I 

22,785  I 

23,851 

42, 969 

54,  984 

86, 194 

44, 920 

31,741 

54,  381 

64,091 

39, 971 

14,  882 

39,  218 

48, 791 

87, 830 

92, 870 

109,  010 

72, 428 

60,842 

115, 208 

74,919 

83,  703 

57,  581 

116,  327 

69, 741 

101,520 

89,462 

60,859 

100,  337 

121, 872 

135, 164 


3,014 

2,477 

1.500 

1,776 

3,175 

4,464 

6,316 

4,624 

5,910 

11, 089 

38,199 

42,690 

29, 335 

42,231 

43, 089 

46,660 

63,188 

63, 520 

92,245 

77, 916 

65,897 

176, 612 

70,898 

144, 804 

136, 365 

168,877 

204, 908 

210, 433 

188,260 

179, 431 

234, 528 

275, 740 

228, 730 

237, 401 

269, 910 

237, 515 

285, 449 


a  None  shipped  from  Lake  Superior  until  1870. 


a  none  Buippou  i*wi"  ^nM^v  .J",. 

The  traffic  through  the  Canadian  Canal,  which  was  opened  to  commerce  September  9,  1895.  I. 
included  in  above  statement  for  seasons  of  1895  and  1898. 


24 


STATISTICS    OK    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Statement  of  the  commerce  throuyh  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,  p/f.— Coutinued. 


Y(!ar. 


]«77, 
1878. 
1879. 
1880. 
1881  . 


1884. 
1885  . 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
1892. 
1893. 
1894. 
1895. 
1896. 
1897. 


Copper.  I  Irim  oro.    Luniber, 


I'aaseiiKL'i' ami  I'reiglit  triilHc. 
Hiiildiiis 


I 


Silver 
(ire  and 
liiilliuii. 


stone, 


luplasai. 

lied 
IVii^llit. 


Total 
iroiL'lit. 


Xi'tlonn. 

18')5 ;i,  I'jii 

1850 .-,,727 

1857 5, 7110 

1858 (1,744 

1859 7,247 

1880 9.  000 

I8(n 7,045 

1882 e,  881 

1803 1,044 

1804 5,331 

1805 9,935 

1896 9,  550 

18B7 10,585 

1808 12,222 

1869 18,062 

1870 11,301 

1871 14,502 

1872 14,.'>91 

1873 15,927 

1874 15,346 

1875 18,396 

1876 25,756 


16.  707 
22,  529 
22,  309 
2I,7!.3 
29.  488 

1882 25,409 

1883 :       31,024 


30,  002 

31,927 

38, 027 

34,  886 

28.900 

33,  450 

43.  729 

69.190 

64. 993 

87,  530 

99,  573 

107, 4.52 

110,872 

122,  324 


\ettutiK. 
1,447 
11,5117 
20,184 
31,035 
65,  7(i» 
120.000 
44,  830 
113.014 
181,. ->67 
213,753 
147,459 
152, 102 
222,  801 
191,939 
239,308 
409,  850 
327, 461 
.;83, 105 
504,  121 
427,  0.-i8 
493,408 
OOit,  752 
508,082 
555,  750 
540.  075 
677,  073 
748, 131 
987,000 
791,732 
1,136,071  j 
1.23,5,122  ' 
2,  087, 809 
2,497,713  ! 
2,570.517  I 
4,095,855  , 
4,774.708  I 
3,500,213  : 
4,  801, 132 
4, 014, 5,50 
6,  548, 876  i 
8,062,209 
7,909,2.50  i 
10,633,71' 


reef,  It.  M. 
•20,000 
395.  000 
572,  000 
185,000 


394.  000 

190,000 

1,411.000 

2,001,000 

822, 000 

144,  000 

300,  000 

1,  119.000 

1.200,000 

722,  000 

1,072,000 

1,742,000 

1.102,000 

038,  000 

5,391,(100 

17,701,000 

4, 143.  OHO 

24,119,000 

35,  i>i>8,  Olio 

4 4,  .539.  000 • 

58,  877, 000 

82,  783,  000 

87,131,000 

122,389,000 

127,984,000  : 

138,688,000  ' 

105,226,000 

240,372,000  : 

315,  .554,  000  I 

361,929,000 

366,  305,  000 

512,  814,  000 

588,54,5,000  , 

722.  788,  000 

740.700,000 

084,980,000 

80.5,612,000 


\ft  lOllH. 
id) 
(rt) 
(d) 

to) 

(a) 

(o) 

(a) 

(a) 

(a) 

(a)   ■ 

(") 

(«) 

(n) 

(o) 

(«) 
92 
404 
300 
580 
443 
847 
885 
087 
650 
3'.'4 
00 

22' 

814  ' 
9,  731 
3,669 
2,009  j 

350 

3,385 

5,  947  j 

3,432  i 

1,731 

1.930 

2, 470 

412 

100 

240 


V«  tout. 

A'el  ton: 

AX  tons. 

li) 

(«) 

irf) 

ib) 

(<■■) 

(d) 

lb) 

(«) 

(d) 

(b) 

(c) 

((/) 

(b) 

(c) 

(rfl 

<'') 

(0) 

(rf) 

(6) 

(c» 

(d) 

(b) 

(0 

id) 

('') 

(c) 

(d) 

ib) 

(c) 

(d) 

(b; 

(0 

(d) 

('') 

(<!) 

(d) 

ib) 

(c) 

(d) 

Co 

(c) 

<d) 

(fc) 

(c) 

(d) 

2,917 

(0 

(d) 

5,  228 

(c) 

(d) 

,5,213 

(<•) 

(d) 

2.218 

(c) 

id)     - 

401 

(c) 

(d) 

2,978 

(c) 

(d) 

2,  102 

(c) 

(d) 

2,  506 

{«) 

Id) 

2.  754 

(c) 

(d) 

2,  226  ! 

(c) 

(d) 

2,283 

(e) 

(d) 

1,400 

121),  031 

1,507,741 

5,428 

172,167 

2, 029, 521 

2.405 

191,571 

2,  267, 105 

6,  047 

207, 173 

2,  874, 557 

8, 189  1 

184,963 

3,  256,  628 

9, 449 

230,  720 

4,  627,  759 

13,  401 

344,  580 

5,  494, 049 

33, 541 

34.).  854  ' 

0,  411,  423 

33, 538 

312,410 

7, 510.  022 

47,973  ' 

371,  294 

9,041,213 

44,080  i 

417, 093 

8,  888,  759 

39,098  ; 

459, 140 

1 1,  214,  333 

19,420 

415, 180 

10, 790, 572 

21,417  1 

451,185 

13,195,860 

23,876  ! 

463, 308 

15,  062, 580 

17,731 

520,  851 

16,239,061 

6,249  1 

579, 048 

18,982,755 

a  No  record  kept  until  1870. 

6  Noiio  shipped  from  Lake  Superior  iintil  1870. 


cNo  record  kept  until  1881. 
dSo  record  kept  until  June,  1881. 


-Continued. 


I'lirlimai- 

lii'd 
iri^ifilit. 

Total 

freiglit. 

Net  font. 

AV«  toni. 

(«) 

id) 

(<-■) 

(d) 

(«) 

(d) 

(c) 

(rf) 

(0) 

(dl 

(0) 

(rf) 

(<•) 

Ci) 

(«) 

UD 

(c) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(0 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(<-•) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

«•) 

(d) 

(c) 

fd) 

(c) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(<-■) 

(d) 

(«) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

(d) 

12!l,031 

1,567,741 

172, 1«7 

2,  029,  521 

191,571 

2,  267, 105 

207, 173 

2,  874, 557 

184,963 

3, 256, 628 

230,  726 

4,  627,  759 

344,  ,580  ! 

5,494,649 

34,j.  854  ' 

6,  411,  423 

312,410  1 

7,  516,  022 

371,294  ' 

9,041,213 

417,093 

8,  888,  759 

im,  146 

11,214,333 

413, 180 

10, 796, 572 

451,183 

13,195,860 

463, 308 

15,  062, 680 

520,  851 

10, 239, 061 

579, 048 

18,982,755 

1881. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 

IMimatetl  lalne  of  freight,  hi,  items,  through  St.  Miiriin  luilh  Canal,  Mivhigan. 


25 


ItomB. 


Ciml  (li.ird  ami  soft) 

Flour  

Wlicat 

Grain  (other  than  wheat  I 

Manufactureil  iron 

Pid  iron 

Salt 

Copper 

Iron  ore  

Lumber  .   

Silver  oro  ami  hnllion  — 

liuihliujr  stone 

Uneiassltled  tii'i(iht 

Total 


1887. 


«4,  735,  454 
7,  803,  075 
22,  634,  590 
759.  65;i  I 
3,033,750  ! 
241,408  i 
2ii4,B08 
0,  ft77,  2IHI 
8,741.993 
2.1174,068 
53.  826  I 
134,010  ! 
20, 075. 100  ; 


1888. 


$7,  3«7. 644 

1(1, 9.'i3.  (125 

18,224,424 

1,981,862 

2.  442, 9311 

2.32, 3-18 

210,433 

,3, 7'.12.  i;«o 

8,  Olio,  8IW 

4,320,  ono 

520, 379 

33,3,410 

20,751,240 


1889. 


*3,  702,  190  ■ 
11.143.535 
1.3,907,217  ; 
2,  0!Mi,  580 
1,  ,377, 230 
442,272  ; 
108.230 
(i,  6iM,2HO 
14,335,492 
5.079.972 
914,589 
333,  380 
18,744,000 


1890. 


»7,  019,  238 

10,103,320 

15.893,022 

2,  Ou3, 4ilO 

4,  fiSO,  750 

380,  101 

179,431 

8,  745,  8(MP 

16,711,()88 

0,514,722 

527,  807 

470.  730 

22, 277,  040 


1891, 


»8,  776,  362 

18.900,713 

38,  040,  239 

1,011,402 

2,  128,000 

402, 077 

234,  528 

13,838,000 

12.400,744 

6,  393,  490 

260,211 

440.  800 

23,  025,  580 


79,031,757  I       82,156,019         83, 732,  ,327  \     102,214,948  128,178,208 


Items. 


1892. 


1893. 


Coal  ( linrrt  and  soft ) .»!  0, 104. 931 

Flour 21,072.540 

Wheat 30,740,083 


Grain  (otiier  than  wheat)  .. 

Manufactureil  iron 

Piit  iron 

Salt 

Copper 

Iron  oro  

Lninhnr 

Silver  ore  and  hullion 

liuilding  Htone . 


933,  346 

2,  088,  600 

709,716 

275, 740 

12,998,600 

17,  153, 962 

9,231,192 

290,815 

396, 980 

UnclassTtied  fi  ei)?lit 27,  548, 760 


iH0,.32a, 

29,  082, 

32,611, 

1,340, 

2,  852, 

550, 

228, 

17,506, 

14,050, 

10,  ,593, 

379, 

194. 

24,  BIO 


420 
090 
239 
993 
30tl 
902 
730 
000 
940 
810 
861 
260 
,800 


1894. 


$8,191,917 
33,621,049 
22.310.469 

772,504 
1,805,330 

331,4,32 

237, 461 

19,914,600 

17,  027,  078 

11,564,608 

40, 144 

214, 170 
27,071,100 


1890, 


$0, 993,  331 

33,  383,  632 

30,041,863 

4.164,347 

3,083,  130 

346, 788 

202,  439 

21,490,400 

22,332,319 

8,  888,  400 

11,200 

238, 700 

27,  798, 480 


$8, 452, 

34.  199 

47,  442, 

10,704, 

4,  690, 

377, 

178, 

23, 374, 

25,  705, 

8,  562, 

26, 

177, 

31,231, 


072.  50 
OOS.  30 
347. 25 
747. 69 
200.  00 
298.  00 
136.25 
400.  UO 
062. 50 
325. 00 
8i<0.  00 
310.00 
060. 00 


Total 135,117.267   14.3, 436, 957   143,114,502  i  159, 575, 129  :  195,146,842.49 


Besulis  obtained  frovi  discussion  of  traffic  statistics. 


Seasons. 


Cost  of 
'I'  .  1     -I    *„..       Total  eost  of  '  carr.ving 
lotal  mile  tons.  tr„,|8p„rtation.  per  mile- 
ton. 


A  verage 
distanec 
freight 

was 
carried. 


I 
I 

1887 '  4,458,544,804 

1888 5,173,132,972 

1889 5,940,646,352 

1890 7,207,299,415 

1891 7,292,462,269 

1892 9,222,773,938 

1893 8,980,310,240 

1894 10,927,871,324 

1895 12,502,548,892 

1896 13,582,641,880 

i 


»10, 075, 
7,  833, 
8, 634, 
9, 472, 
9,  849, 
12, 072, 
9, 957, 
10, 798, 
14. 238, 
13,511, 


Value  of 

Amerioan 

craft. 


«17, 684,  550 
20,381,100 
25,  328, 600 
27, 8.57, 700 
820,4  I  31.947,300 
822. 4  j  36, 220, 100 
30, 017, 400 
41, 124,  200 
40, 858, 800 
43, 006, 200 


Value  of 

Canadian 

craft. 


$2, 080, 400 
1,514,300 
1,  597, 000 
1,777,800 
2,119,500 
2, 108, 700 
2,115,700 
1,959,800 
2,037,000 
2, 135, 300 


Propor- 
tion of 
freight 
carried  by 
Canadian 
vessels. 


Per  cent. 


8 

1 
3.S 
3.75 
4 


26 


STATISTICS    OP   LAKE   COMMERCE. 
Table  III. 


Number  and  gross  tonnage  of  sailing  vessels,  sleam  vessels,  and  barges,  respectively,  on  the 

Xortheiit  Lakes,  a 


Fiscal  year. 


Sailing  vesaela. 
Tons. 


Num- 
ber. 


18S1.. 
1862.. 
1868.. 
1809. . 
1870.. 
1871.. 
1872.. 
1873.. 
1874.. 
1876.. 
1876.. 
1877.. 
1878. . 
1879.. 
188U.. 
1881.. 
1882.. 
1883.. 
1884.. 
188S.. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
1802. 
1893. 
1804. 
1805. 
1896. 
1807. 


Steam  veaaels. 
Tuns. 


Bargoa. 


152 
8S5 
752 
600 
662 
654 
6li3 
696 
710 
643 
604 
546 
473 
450 
417 
412 
373 
333 
322 
235 
286 
277 
285 
272 
243 
226 
205 
130 
100 
044 
003 


>  Num. 
j  ber. 


138,000 
2S7, 689 
293, 978 
277, 893 
264,600 
267, 153 
270, 051 
298,002 
336, 801 

330,  787 

331,  408 
321,  394 
315,909 

317. 078 
301,932 
30t:,  436 
313, 652 
310. 454 
307, 7.33 
313, 120 
282,  310 

315. 079 
314, 765 
32.~i,  083 
328,656 
325. 131 
310,617 
317,  780 
302,  985 
300,  642 
300,  152 
334,104 


350 

624 

636 

642 

682 

708 

802 

876 

801 

921 

923 

918 

896 

931 

988 

1,101 

1,149 

1,165 

1,175 

1,280 

1,225 

1,342 

1,455 

1,527 

1,592 

1,631 

1,731 

1,731 

1,755 

1,792 

1,776 


Num- 
ber. 


Tons. 


Num- 
ber. 


Total. 
Tons. 


74,000 
125,620 
144,117 
146, 237 
142, 073 
149, 408 
162,  523 
180,  250 
198, 121 
202, 307 
201, 743 
201, 085 
201,550  : 
203,298  I 
212,045 
260, 115  ; 
202,257  ; 
304,642  > 
322, 456  I 
335, 859 
381, 908 
390,  398 
480, 138 
575,  307 
652, 923 
736, 752 
763,  063 
828,702 
843,240 
857, 735 
924,  631 
977, 236 


64 
103 
114 
132 
161 
177 
216 
103 
1H8 
102 
183 
170 
165 
162 
164 
156 
126 
111 
101 

84 

78 

44 

54  I 

62 

60 

82  I 

85  I 

81  ! 

81  I 
101 


15,0!)7  ! 
22,072 
27,570 
31,208  ' 
37, 863 
42.569 
46, 323 
46, 140 
46,585 
47, 207 
45,206 
42, 226 
40,965 
41,453 
42,006 
43,  576 
34,000  ! 
30,810 
20, 132 
21,758 
18, 194 
7,274  I 
13,910  I 
20,472  ' 
25,321  I 
87,732  , 
30,215  i 
39,008  1 
45,  175  1 
60,783  { 


l,5t>2 

2,543  I 

2,401  I 

2,456  I 

2,476  : 

2,  523  ! 

2,642 

2,788 

2,794 

2,752 

2,719 

2,647 

2,539 

2,  555 

2,567 

2,677 

2,678 

2,624 

2,608 

2,616 

2,595 

2,697 

2,784 

2,853 

2,897 

2,926 

3, 018 

2,955 

2,936 

2,917 

2,869 


214,000 

383,300 

454.063 

446,  202 

435, 153 

147, 820 

470, 437 

520, 811 

681,246 

687,234 

578,826 

572,686 

562, 766 

552, 602 

557, 942 

608, 004 

648, 816 

658, 671 

664,288 

679, 798 

690,359 

727, 236 

813,097 

907,664 

995, 489 

1,082,365 

1,108,001 

1, 184, 223 

1, 186, 440 

1, 197, 386 

1,278,95P 

1, 372, 122 


o  These  figures,  witli  the  exception  of  those  for  the  years  1851  and  1862,  were  obtained  either 
directly  from  the  Commissioner  of  Niivigation  or  from  liis  annual  reports.  Those  for  1851  were 
obtained  from  Andrew's  Report  on  Colonml  and  Lalte  Trade  (1852),  Thirty-second  Congress,  second 
session.  House  Executive  DiHuiment  No.  136,  p.  49;  and  those  for  1862  from  Interniil  Comtaerce  of  the 
Unitoil  States  (1891),  p.  X.  As  has  been  explained  in  tlie  text,  all  rigged  vessels  are  classed  with  the 
sailing  craft.  Thus  moat  of  the  vessels  commonly  regarded  as  barges  are  grouped  with  the  sailing 
vessels,  for  most  of  ihcm  carry  some  canvas.  Nearly  all  the  old  schooners  are  now  regularly  towed, 
and  therefore  can  not  be  regarded  as  sailing  vessels,  in  the  old  sense  of  this  term. 


,  respeeiively,  on  the 


Total. 


1 

Nuin-  I 
ber.    1 

i 

Tons. 
214,000 

.1 

l,5t>2  ' 

383,300 

2,543 

454.063 

! 

2,401 

446, 203 

1 

2,455 

136, 153 

1  ! 

2,478 

147, 820 

1 

2.523 

470,437 

1  ' 

2,642 

520,811 

1 

2,788 

681,246 

1 

2,794 

687,234 

5 

2,762 

578,826 

7 

2,719 

572,686 

I 

2,647 

562,765 

1 

2,539 

552,602 

5 

2, 555 

557, 042 

i 

2,567 

608, 004 

1 

2,677 

648, 816 

i 

2,678 

658,871 

» 

2,624 

664,288 

) 

2,608 

670, 798 

i 

2,616 

690,859 

i 

2,596 

727, 235 

i 

2,697 

813,097 

1 

2,784 

907,664 

) 

2,853 

995, 480 

2 

2,897 

1,082,»5S 

1 

2,926 

1,108,001 

2 

3,018 

1,184,223 

5 

2,955 

1, 185, 440 

i 

2,938 

1, 197, 386 

i 

2,917 

1,278,958 

3 

2,869 

1, 372, 122 

were  obtained  eitlier 
Those  for  1851  were 
cond  CongrflHS,  second 
eriiiil  Comlnerce  of  the 
lis  are  classed  with  the 
[luped  with  the  sailing 
t  now  regularly  towed, 
ui. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 
Tablk  IV. 


gf 


Statement  shouting  class,  number,  and  gro,,  tonnage  of  vessel,  huilt  and  docmented  on  the 

northern  lakes,  a 


Fiscal  year. 


Sailing  vesselH. 


Steam  vessels. 


Num- 
ber. 


1860 

1861 

1862 

1863 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

1897 


Tons. 


129 

83 

60 

80 

57 
112 
130 

62 

35  ; 

.13  > 

30 

48 

52 

66 

84 

29 

30 

15 

36  I 

48  I 

32 

36 

30 

41 

21 

la 

22 

19 

26 


22,490 
14,462 
10, 322 
13,839 
12, 962 
40,840 
43,851 
12,269 
2,507 
2,086 
1,605 
1,173 
5,447 
12, 936 
16,164 
8, 437 
7,667 
3,861 
5,232 
4,001 
9,131 
8,098 
12,  803 
7.240 
3,474 
9,277 
5,473 
8,166 
21,  825 
39, 151 


Num- 
ber. 

20 
20 
41 

73 
167 
48 
45 
.  38 
64 
77 
49 
46 
60 
106 
09 
70 
79  ! 
39  ! 
55 
44 
05 
100 
130 
j    100 
I     80 
i     64 
47 
75 
!    140 
145 
118 
123 
93 
126 
71 
58 
75 
43 


Tons. 


Barges. 


Num- 
ber. 


Tons. 


Total. 
N^jp-  I    Ton.. 


5,011 
2,377 
9,308 
13, 578 
70,669 
6,426 
4,761 
8,595 
11,282 
13,  339 
7,196 
12,  293 
16,926 
21,418 
24, 487 
12.400 
8,972 
3,802 
8,644 
11,542 
14,306 
49,080 
34. 100 
17.253 
20,206 
20,229 
12,648 
47, 183 
87.459 
93, 707 
86, 023 
93, 323 
34,129 
76,  161 
34.  889 
26,  516 
75. 744 
81, 787 


28  I 

4,238- 

36  1 

6,468 

9 

3.280 

19 

3,795 

16 

4,019 

23 

6,818 

22 

4,733 

11 

1,820 

8 

2, 469 

4 

551 

2 

130 

5 

570 

8 

1,366 

14 

3,111 

6 

1,988 

8 

1,158 

1 

10 

5 

768 

5 

412 

8 

378 

<» 

468 

5 

678 

12 

6,739 

11 

8,853 

8 

6,449 

11 

11,867 

6 

429 

2 

446 

14 

10, 185 

28 

12, 722 

221 

195 

127 

126 

132 

240 

251 

143 

120 
72 
90 
79 
121 
176 
201 
137 
110 
90 
67 
118 
190 
182 
164 
164 
142 
168 
96 
82 
108 
95 


38, 010 
33, 250 
20,807 
29  927 
32,007 
89,076 
73, 071 
26, 379 
13,948 
7,030 
10,270 
13, 204 
21,100 
66,127 
52,252 
24, 848 
27,883 
24,858 
18,293 
52. 552 
07, 058 
102, 483 
105.  566 
107,416 
43,063 
97,  306 
40,791 
35. 128 
107, 754 
113,660 


Commissioner  Sf  Navigation  or  obtained  from  his  annual  reports. 

Table  V. 
Average  gross  tonnage  of  sailing  and  steam  vessels  huilt  «»  the  northern  lalea. 


Fiscal  year. 


1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1888 

1884 


Sailing 
vessels. 

Steam 
vessels. 

Sailing  I    Steam 
vessels,  j  vessels. 


364.64 

203. 99 

337. 31 

247.84    1 

197.88 

178.20   i 

71.62 

113.67    i 

92.60 

97.48    j 

!        45.60 

157. 15 

39.10 

262. 32 

113.  47 

220.09 

248.77 

450.28  ■' 

244.90 

262.31 

189.31 

172.53    1 

284.39 

262.56   1 

316. 07 
269. 10 
629. 10 
624. 70 
846.26 
741.57 
758.72 
366. 98 
604.46 
491. 30 

467. 17 
1, 000. 91 
1, 436. 91 


aThe^flgureVofthevears  1895-189^^^^ 
of  the  sailftg  vessels  after  the  tonnage  ot  the  »t««i «»'""  Vhe  averaBe  should  ^stm  further  reduced, 
K1?:l^^geTo'SSe%SYa"vhr  l^^^^^^^^^^^  P"vlous  to  1806.  ste.1 

SSiUng  vesselMbrge.)  were  oon»truot«d,  but  I  do  not  know  their  tonnage. 


9S  STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 

Taiile  VI. 
Grots  tonnage  cotmlriicled  on  the  northern  lakes,  showing  material  iiaed.a 


Fiscal  year. 


I  Iron  and 
|'»°"''8«-!tonn"Ji«.l 


Wooden 


Fiscal  year. 


1880. 

1881  . 

1882  . 

1883  . 
1884. 
1885. 
1886  . 
1887. 
18H8  . 


80,082 
67, 673 
5'.',  041 
28,  .'■i03 
20,  233 
l."),  (178 
14,  071 
46, 475 


2,  817 
.'>,  I^ll 
6,  328 
45 
l,6.-)0 
i),  180 
4.  221 
6,078 


1889. 
1890. 
1891  . 
189;;  . 
18»:j  . 
1894  . 
1805  . 
1896. 


81,085         20,018       1807, 


Wooden 
tonnage. 


73,  068 
66,  961 
40,  428 
14,  594 
34  48(1 
20,851 
11,032 
27, 330 
13, 281 


I  Iron  and 

StOfll 

tonnaK''' 


29,415 
38, 602 
.'^i7,  inf} 
28.  459 
62,  825 
19,  950 
23, 195 
80,  424 
100,379 


aTlieae  flgnicR  were  obtaineil  either  directly  from  the  Conimisslonor  of  Navlpation  or  from  his 
aiinnal  reports.  Iron  lias  been  used  only  to  a'very  limited  extent  about  thn  great  lakes ;  the  third 
column  is  composod  almost  wholly  of  steel  tonnage.  The  total  iron  tonnage  now  afloat  jirobably  does 
not  exceed  35,u0u  tons. 


Tadlk  VII. 

Average  freight  rates  on  wheat  (per  bushel)  from  Chicago  to  Xew  York  by  lake  and  canal, 

bji  lake  and  rail,  and  by  all  rail. 


Calendar  year. 

By  lake 

and 
canal,  a 

By  lake 
and  rail. 

By  all     , 
rail. 

Calendar  year. 

By  lake 

and 
canal,  a 

Cent». 

11.24 
0.15 

11.00 

12.27 
8.10 
7.89 
8.37 
6.31 
5.87 
8.71 
8.  SI 
5.93 
6.89 
5.85 
5.86 
5.61 
6.33 
4.44 
4.11 

d6.19 

By  lake 
and  rail. 

Cmts. 

15.80 

11.40 

13. 30 

15.70 

10.40 

10. 90 

11.50 

9.55 

9.02 

12.00 

12.00 

11.00 

8.70 

8.50 

8.53 

7.55 

8.44 

7.00 

6.95 

6.61 

B:  all 
rail. 

1857 

Ceiiti. 

b  25. 29 
16.28 
17.59 
24.83 
28.55 
26.33 
22.81 
28.36 
26.62 
29.61 
22.36 
22.  79 
25.12 
17.11 
20.24 
24.47 
19.19 
14.10 
11.43 
9.58 

Otnti. 

Cents. 

1877 

Cents. 
20. 50 

1858 

C38.61 
34.80  ' 
34.80 
41.  .58 
48.00 
49.20 
60.00 
44.88 
46.  20  i 
44.75  ; 
37.84 
35.  ,57  ; 
.30.00  : 
31.80 
34.99 
31.02 
26.25 
24.00 
16.86 

1878 

1879 

18S0 

1881 ,... 

17.70 

18.19              

17.74 

1860 

19.80 

1861 

14.40 

1882 

1882 

1883 

\**i 

1885 

1886 

1887  

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

14.47 

1863       

16.20 

1884 

13. 20 

1865 

13.20 

1886 

15.00 

1867 

15.75 

1868 

1889 

1870 

1871                ..   . 

629.00 
25.00 
22.00 
25.00 
28.00 
26.90 
16.90 
14.60 
11.80 

14.60 
16.00 
14.30 
15.00 

1872 

1892 

13.80 

1873 

1893 

14.63 

1874 

1894  

13.20 

1875           

1805 

11.89 

1876 

1896 

12.00 

(I  Including  canal  tolls  until  1882,  but  not  Buffalo  transfer  charges. 
b  Statistical  Abstract,  1898,  p.  327. 
c  IJeport  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  1895,  p.  116. 

d  The  rates  for  1896  were  obtained  from  Report  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  1896,  p.  115 ;  the  lake 
and  canal  rate  for  1896  includes  Buffalo  charges. 


rial  iised.a 


!  Wooden 'l'-»f„»I"l 


73,068 

29, 415 

66,B64 

38,602 

4U,428 

57,  «l?0 

14,  n94 

28,459 

34.  480 

62,  826 

20,861 

19, 951) 

11,932 

23, 196 

27,  H30 

80,424 

13, 281 

100,879 

avlfialioii  or  t'roiii  his 
lireat  liikos;  the  third 
w  nfoat  ]irobabl.v  does 


1°  by  lake  and  canal, 


, 

By  lake 

Bj  bU 

I 

aud  rail. 

rail. 

Cents. 

Cents. 

i 

16.80 

20. 50 

■> 

11.40 

17.70 

> 

13.30 

17.74 

7 

16.70 

19. 80 

» 

10.40 

14.40 

» 

10.90 

14.47 

7 

11.60 

16.20 

1 

9.65 

13.20 

7 

9.02 

13.20 

1 

12.00 

15.00 

1 

12.00 

15.75 

1 

11.00 

14.50 

t 

8.70 

16.00 

) 

8.50 

14.30 

J 

8.53 

15.00 

1 

7.56 

13.80 

J 

8.44 

14.63 

4 

7.00 

13.20 

1 

6.95 

11.89 

0 

6.61 

12.00 

STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 

wheat  (per  bnthd)  hji  lake  from  Chkaiio  to  Huffulo.a 


3d 


Cur- 
rency.* 


Cental.    I 

9.80  , 

3.70 

6.08 

9.89 

U.63 

10.49 

7.61 

0.58 

9.78 

12.34 

6.67 

7.14 

6.81 

5.88 

7.02 

11.46 

7.62 

4.03 

3.42 

2.90 

3.72 


(Jold.i! 


Cents. 


t¥m 


10. 234 
5. 175 
6.160 
4.523 
8.)<08 
4.995 
5.155 
5.022 
4.847 
6.883 

10.  ,504 
6.7B1 
3.017 
3.040 
2.570 
3.5U2 


1878 

1M9 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

'  1890  

1891 

,  1892 

:  1893 

1894 

1895 

1896d 

1897e 


Cur-      • 
remy. 

Cents. 
3.U7 
4.74 
5.76 
3.44 
2.50 
3.41 
2.18 
2.02 
3.68 
4.13 
2.  !>6 
2.51 
1.96 
2.38 
2.19 
1.66 
1.27 
1.92 
1.63 
1.56 


Gold. 


Cents. 
3. 027 


),  1896,  p.  115;  the  lake 


January  of  each  year  in  the  American  Almanac  for  1878. 
dRe™rt  of  ChfcaEO  Board  of  Trade,  1896,  p.  113. 
eMarine  Record,  Dec.  16,  1897,  p.8. 


13 

•4 
vf 


■!>,<*      )■    — ,   ltf»HllMPuHH>>^lly.«!M 


.     .,  .    PART   11. 

I.— FLOUK  AND  (}HAIN  TRAFFIC. 

Previous  to  1850  the  importance  of  the  great  interior  water  routes 
can  not  easily  bo  overestimated.  The  commerce  of  the  grejit  agricul- 
tural States  of  the  West  drilled  to  the  two  great  natural  waterways,  the 
Mississippi  River  running  to  the  south,  and  the  Great  Lakes  and  their 
eastern  outlets,  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  Welland  Canal,  in  conjunction 
with  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  running  to  the  east.  Although  the  West 
possessed  these  two  unrivaled  waterways,  yet  there  were  but  few  locali- 
ties which  could  choose  between  the  two.  Physical  conditions  usually 
left  no  choi(!e.  To  the  settler  near  the  lakes  the  eastern  route  was  the 
only  available  highway,  and  to  the  farmer  living  near  the  banks  of 
the  Mississippi  the  river  was  the  only  possible  route.  This  was  the  case 
because  land  transportation  was  well-nigh  impossible.  The  value  to 
the  States  bordering  on  the  (^ireat  Lakes  of  the  lake  and  canal  route 
from  the  date  of  the  opening  of  the  latter  in  1825  down  to  the  middle 
of  the  century,  and  even  for  a  number  of  years  thereafter,  is  incomput- 
able. Over  the  Gre  it  Lakes  and  through  the  canal  passed  the  bulk  of 
the  surplus  products  of  the  West  and  practically  the  whole  of  the 
merchandise  shipped  from  the  East  to  the  West. 

To  realize  fully  the  importance  of  the  water  routes,  even  up  to  a 
comparatively  late  day,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  the  services  it  was 
intended  the  early  railroads  should  render.  They  were  designed  to  con- 
nect waterways,  not  to  compete  with  them.  Before  the  constraction  of 
railroads  the  traffic  of  the  country  that  was  other  than  local  in  character 
moved  upon  and  to  and  from  one  of  our  four  great  waterways.  These 
were  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  east,  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Erie 
Canal  and  St.  Lawrence  on  the  north,  the  Mississippi  River  and  its 
tributaries  on  the  west,  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  south.  This 
being  the  situation,  the  railroads  which  were  intended  to  serve  anything 
more  than  local  needs  sought  to  cooperate  with  one  of  these  waterways, 
and  the  projectors  of  nearly  all  the  railroads  which  it  was  hoped  would 
become  trunk  lines  sought  to  connect  two  or  more  of  the  four  great 
water  routes.  The  construction  of  the  great  trunk  lines  clearly  shows 
this,  and  nothing  could  more  strongly  emphasize  the  importance  of  the 
lake  route  at  this  early  day  than  the  uniformity  with  which  the  rail- 
roads sought  it.  A  glance  at  a  railroad  map  of  the  later  fifties  will  also 
clearly  show  that  the  water  routes  formed  the  base  of  all  the  great  trans- 
portation systems.  In  some  cases,  it  is  true,  the  water  routes  were 
I)jvralleled,  but  these  instances  were  comparatively  rare,  and  even  in 
these  cases  the  railroads  were  not  regarded  as  competitors  of  the  water 
routes  for  through  traffic  in  heavy  commodities.  Passenger  traffic, 
local  business,  and  through  freight  in  the  more  valuable  commodities 
were  the  main  reliance  of  the  railroads. 

This  state  of  affairs,  however,  was  very  much  changed  in  the  twentj'^ 
years  covered  by  the  period  from  1860  to  1880.  These  two  decades 
were  replete  with  improvements  in  rail  transportation.    Advances,  to  be 

30 


■  llnwTiiiiiniiniiiiij 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKK    COMMERCE. 


31 


T  water  rontes 

great  agricul- 
[waterways,  the 

akes  and  tlieir 

in  coujnn(;tion 
ougli  the  West 

but  few  locali- 
ditions  usually 
I  route  was  the 
tlie  banks  of 
lis  was  tlie  case 

The  value  to 
md  canal  route 

to  the  middle 
T,  is  incomput- 
sed  the  bulk  of 

whole  of  the 

,  even  up  to  a 

services  it  was 
lesigned  to  con- 
conatruction  of 
cal  iu  character 
jrways.  These 
i  and  the  Erie 

River  and  its 
e  south.  This 
serve  anything 
ese  waterways, 
fcs  hoped  would 

the  four  great 
ii  clearly  shows 
[wrtance  of  the 
fhich  the  rail- 
fifties  will  also 
he  great  trans- 
ir  routes  were 
3,  and  even  in 
rs  of  the  water 
senger  traffic, 
e  commodities 

in  the  twentj' 
i  two  decades 
dvances,  to  be 


sure,  were  also  nuide  in  water  transportation,  but  the  progress  made  in 
land  carriage  during  this  interval  was  much  the  greater.  Limitations 
of  space  forbid  a  detailed  presentation  of  the  improvements  introduced 
that  made  the  railroads  effective  competitors  of  the  lake  carriers.  Noth- 
ing more  than  an  enumeration  of  the  most  important  advances  can  be 
attempted.  Progress  was  made  in  all  departments.  The  ])ermanent 
way  was  im])roved  by  reduction  of  grades,  better  alignment  of  track, 
improved  drainage  and  ballasting,  and  better  bridges,  liut  far  more 
important  tlisiu  these  improvements  was  the  introduction  of  steel  rails. 
It  is  doubtful  if  the  railroacls  could  ever  have  become  effective  competi- 
tors of  the  hike  carriers  without  steel  rails,  for  the  latter,  altliough  of 
transcendent  importance  in  themselves,  became  doubly  significant  be- 
cause of  the  advance  along  various  lines  that  they  made  possible.  The 
greatest  of  these  improvements  was  made  in  the  rolling  stock.  With 
stronger  tracks  much  heavier  engines  could  be  built,  and  cars  c(mld  be 
loaded  more  heavily.  Steel  was  in  a  measure  substituted  for  iron  in 
the  construction  of  locomotives.  A  great  saving  was  made  by  the  change 
from  iron  to  steel  tires.  With  a  very  sliglit  increase  iu  the  dead  weight 
of  cars,  the  carrying  capacity  was  doubled.  There  was  also  great  prog- 
ress made  in  making  up  and  running  trains. 

The  consolidation  of  connecting  lines  (and  the  extension  of  other  lines 
by  lease  or  by  purchase  or  by  new  construction)  which  had  set  in  before 
18(»()  became  a  feature  of  railroad  history  during  the  period  covered  by 
the  years  intervening  between  1860  and  1880.  By  consolidation  the 
cheap  and  expeditious  movement  of  freight  between  distant  points  was 
greatly  furthered.  About  the  largest  expense  of  transportation  in  the 
early  days  was  the  transshipment  charges.  Consolidation  did  much  to 
obviate  the  necessity  of  frecjuent  transfers  of  freight.  But  even  after 
consolidation  had  made  considerable  progress  the  extended  movement 
of  bulky  freight  remained  subject  to  many  delays  and  charges,  due  to 
transshipment  at  connecting  points.  These  evils  were  in  a  large  measure 
overcome  by  the  organization  of  through  freight  lines.  But  one  more 
advance  can  be  mentioned — it  is  scientitic  rate  making.  This  has  revo- 
lutionized railroad  transportation.  In  the  primitive  days  of  railroading 
the  toll  sheets  showed  but  little  differentiation  of  charges.  The  prin- 
ciple of  charging  what  the  traffic  would  bear  was  never  applied  with 
anything  like  thoroughness.  The  decisive  change  in  rate  making  came 
when  it  was  recognized  that  it  may  be  profitable  to  establish  a  rate 
which  will  result  in  a  net  gain,  however  small,  above  the  expenses  aris- 
ing strictly  from  the  mere  handling  and  moving  of  freight  and  such 
incidental  expenses  as  are  properly  applicable  to  it.  In  other  words,  it 
is  not  always  to  be  insisted  upon  that  any  given  traffic  must  bear  its 
full  share  of  the  total  expenses  of  the  road.  The  question  is,  rather, 
Will  this  traffic  form  a  profitable  auxiliary  of  the  existing  traffic? 

By  the  early  seventies  the  long  list  of  improvements  which  have  been 
enumerated,  and  others  of  less  importance,  but  nevertheless  of  great 
moment  iu  the  aggregate,  had  progressed  so  far  as  to  change  flTe  rela- 
tion existing  between  the  lake  carriers  and  the  railroads.^  The  latter 
were  now  in  a  position  to  enter  into  effective  competition  with  the  lakes 
in  the  transportation  to  the  seaboard  of  the  agricultural  products  of 
the  West.  As  a  very  large  portion  of  the  east-bound  traffic  from  the 
West  was  at  this  time  composed  of  agricultui-al  products,  nearly  the 
entire  east-bound  business  now  became  competitive.*    In  1876  it  wao 

Long  before  this  the  railroads  had  demonstrated  their  ability  to  compete  with 
canals. 

'In  this  statement  is  not  included  the  lumber  and  ore  traflBc  of  what  is  known  as 
the  Lake  Superior  region. 


n 


STATISTtCS    OF    LAKK    COMMERCK 


estiiiiiited  that  gniin  ami  Hour  constituted  about  '»<)  [tor  ceut  of  the 
eiitirt^  ea."'  .vanlinoveuient  ot'tlirough  freights.' 

It  uiust  not  be  ui»ler8too<l  tliat  rail  rates— Iroui  Cliicago  to  New 
York,  for  example — were  now  as  low  an  tlio  lake  rates,  for  siicli  was  not 
the  (!ase.  Kail  rates  had,  however,  fallen  so  much  that,  taken  in  con- 
ne«tion  v/ith  several  advantages  ottered  by  rail  transportation,  rail 
rates  were  as  favorable  as  the  lake  rates,  even  though  the  latter  were 
slightly  lower.  It  may  be  well  at  tiiis  jmiut  to  state  that  the  published 
transportation  chaiges  are  not  to  be  accepted  without  moditicatiou. 
The  lake  (;harges  are  ai>proximateIy  correct;  but  the  rail  charges  are 
generally  too  high,  and  often  very  much  too  high.  The  latter  are  aver- 
ages of  the  ollicially  published  tariffs;  but  men  in  a  position  to  speak 
authoritatively  say  that  practically  no  grain  is  shipped  at  these  rates.^ 

When  grain  moves  eastward  to  the  seaboard  in  large  «iuantities  by  rail 
during  the  navigation  season  it  may  be  assumed,  with  considerable 
assjirance,  that  the  through  rail  rate  is  very  nearly  as  low  as  the  lake 
and  rail  rate.  This  must  be  the  case,  because  the  advantages  of 
tlirough  rail  shipment  over  lake  and  rail  are  not  suttlcient  to  offset  any 
large  ditference  in  rates.  These  advantages  will  be  briefly  stated. 
Itailroads  are  responsible  for  the  safe  delivery  of  goods  placed  in  their 
care.  The  shipper,  therefore,  does  not  insure  his  property,  which  he 
would  feel  obliged  to  do  should  he  send  his  property  by  the  wjiy  of  the 
lakes.' 

Grain  carried  in  cars  duri.<g  the  seasons  of  the  year  when  grain  is 
likely  to  heat  arrives  in  better  condition  than  if  sent  by  water.  Grain 
already  out  of  condition  goes  better  by  rail,  but  not  much  importance 
is  now  to  be  attached  to  this  point,  as  grain  is  generally  put  in  good  condi- 
tion before  it  is  shipped.' 

Expedition  is  sometimes  desirable,  and  railroads  deliver  commodities 
with  greater  dispatch  than  the  lake  carriers.  The  terminal  facilities  of 
the  railroads  are  better  than  those  of  the  water  lines,  and  by  patron- 
izing the  railroad  shipi)er8  can  occasionally  save  considerable  sums  in 
the  form  of  cartage  charges.  This  is  more  true  of  flour,  corn,  and  oats 
than  of  wheat,  for  the  last  is  not  delivered  directly  to  cousuniers,  but 
is  first  delivered  to  millers,  who  have  terminal  facilities.  Flour,  corn,  and 
oats,  on  the  other  hand,  although  generally  not  delivered  directly  to  con- 
sumers, are,  liowever,  delivered  to  persons  at  least  one  step  nearer  the 
consumers  than  are  the  millers  who  receive  the  wheat.  During  the 
process  of  transshipment  there  is  some  loss  of  grain,  but  as  the  lake 
carriers  deliver  the  amount  for  which  they  give  receipts  the  shipper  loses 
nothing.  In  t'lis  particular  the  shipper  rather  favors  the  lake  ro  ute, 
for  the  railroads  refuse  to  receipt  for  a  definite  amount,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence any  loss  in  transit  falls  upon  the  shipper  unless  he  can  clearly 
prove  that  there  was  a  loss  in  transit,  which  he  usually  finds  very 
difficult  to  do 

In  case  the  ijrain  is  not  forwarded  on  a  through  bill  of  lading  a  por- 
tion of  the  cost  of  transshipment  falls  upon  the  shipper,  and  thus 
enters  as  one  of  the  deciding  iuflueuces  in  the  selection  of  a  route. 

'  Internal  Commerce  of  the  United  States,  1876,  p.  67.  The  total  shipments  east 
from  Chicago  during  the  year  1878  amounted  to  4,862,385  tons;  to  this  sum  grain, 
flour,  seedH,  and  feed  contributed  3,137,032  tons,  or  a  little  more  tlian  64  per  cent. 
Almost  the  whole  of  the  balance  was  made  up  of  animals  and  their  products.  (Ibid., 
^«'.79.  p.  99.) 

*For  transportation  rates  see  Appendix  II,  Table  VII. 

In  1872  the  rate  of  insurance  was  about  $1  on  $100.  (Transportation  Koutes  to 
the  Seaboard,  vol.  1,  p.  17.)    It  is  now  about  30  cents  on  $100. 

^  All  the  modern  elevators  are  equipped  with  apparatus  for  airing  and  drying  grain. 


er  cent  of  the 

I  it'll  go  to  New 
>r  such  was  not 
,  taken  in  con- 
ilMutrttion,  rail 
the  IntU'v  were 

the  publinhed 
niodiiication. 
*il  chai'gcH  are 
atter  are  aver- 
sition  to  speak 

t  these  rates.^ 
antities  by  rail 
»  considerable 
ow  as  the  lake 
advantages  of 
it  to  offset  any 
briefly  stated, 
placed  in  their 
I'lty,  which  he 
the  way  of  the 

when  grain  is 
water.  Grain 
«!h  importance 
t  in  good  coudi- 

jr  commodities 
lal  facilities  of 
md  by  patron- 
erable  sums  in 
corn,  and  oats 
onsiimers,  but 
'lour,  corn,  and 
lirectly  to  con- 
tep  nearer  the 
.  During  the 
t  as  the  lake 
e  shipper  loses 
he  lake  ro  ute, 
nd  as  a  conse- 
he  can  clearly 
lly  finds  very 

'  lading  a  por- 
ter, and  thus 
n  of  a  route. 

shipments  east 
this  Slim  grain, 

lian  64  per  cent. 

■odiicts.     (Ibid., 


Ektiou  Eoutes  to 
Jd  drying  grain. 


STATISTICS    (»K    LAKK    COMMKUCK. 


33 


tlrain  i'iirrii'<l  by  "wild"  vissels,'  that  is,  vessels  which  have  no  rail 
(MHini'ctions  and  an>  not  running  iiiid<-r  contract,  bnt  li\  their  rates 
tVoin  day  to  day  as  Ixisincss  may  determine,  is  not  carried  on  Miroiigh 
bills  of  lading,  and  tlie  owner  of  the  grain  wonid  therefore  pay  the 
elevator  charges.-'  Terminal  charges  have  nndoubtedly  been  in  stune 
nieasme  responsible  for  the  diversion  of  the  grain  trallic  from  the  lake 
route;  they  may  be  found  in  A])|>endi\  II,  Tables  1  an<l  [l. 

When  tlie  lailroads  found  that  they  eoidd  smicesslnlly  compete  with 
the  waterways  it  was  discovered  that  the  lack  of  snitable  terminal 
facilities  at  tiie  seaboard  cities  for  transferring  grain  from  cars  to  ocean 
vessels  and  for  storage  became  a  serious  hamlicap.  Down  to  about 
IHii't  none  of  the  trunk  lines  p(>.ssessed  elevator  facilities  on  the  Atlan- 
tic Coast.  At  this  time  there  was  an  elevator  built  at  a  wharf  on  the 
Delaware,  in  IMiiladelphia,  under  the  patromige  of  the  I'eiuisylvania 
Railroad  Company,  an<l  tiiis  was  probably  the  llrst  stati<uniry  elevator 
ere)!ted  on  tln^  Atlantic  (Joast.'  Up  to  the  close  of  the  year  1870  the 
Baltinmre  and  Oiiio  Kailroad  (Jompany  was  the  only  road  which  had 
already  provided  ade(|uate  terminal  facilities  for  the  handling  of  grain.' 
New  York  City,  although  the  chief  port  of  the  export  grain  business, 
did  not  possess  a  single  stationary  elevator. 

The  use  of  elevators  would  liave  necessitated  the  adoption  of  the 
western  nu'thod  of  handling  grain  by  "grades."  The  custom  of  selling 
grain  on  sample  had  become  too  tirmly  tixed  by  fifty  years  of  habit  to 
be  easily  uprooted,  and  esjiecially  so  as  such  a  departure  would  seri- 
ously impair  the  value  of  enornn)us  vested  interests  of  the  very  i)er- 
sons  who  were  ex[)e(!ted  to  make  the  change.  The  great  expense 
involved  in  the  old  method  of  handling  grain  if  ship|)cd  in  bulk  at  the 
railroad  terminals,  and  tlie  great  reductions  made  by  the  introduction 
of  v^evators,  will  be  seen  by  the  f'oUowing  statement  made  up  by  the 
general  freight  agent  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad: 

"Previous  to  January,  187li,  all  grain  shipped  to  Baltimore  in  bulk 
was  unloaded  by  I  .ml,  at  an  expense  of  from  4  to  5  cents  per  bushel. 
At  this  time  the  company  completed  an  elevator  of  0(M),00(>  bushels 
capacity  and  reduced  the  charge  for  receiving,  weighing,  wharfage, 
delivering  to  vessels,  and  storing  for  ten  days  to  1'^  cents  per  bushel, 
by  which  means  also  the  detention  to  vessels  in  loading  was  reduced 
from  five  or  ten  days  to  as  many  hours."" 

Two  years  later,  when  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  entered  Chicago  and 
became  an  aggressive  competitor  for  a  share  in  the  movement  of  agri- 
cultural i)roduct8  from  the  West,  all  the  other  trunk  lines  were  for(?ed 
to  improve  their  terminal  facilities.  Without  proper  facilities  for 
handling  grain  at  the  seaboard  no  road  could  meet  the  competition  of 
the  lake  and  canal  route,  for  this  line  possessed  fairly  satisfactory 
terminals.  The  transfer  charge  of  from  4  to  5  cents  was  sufficient  to 
turn  grain  to  the  lake  and  canal  route.  Not  only  was  the  movement 
of  grain  by  rail  checked  by  the  high  charges  at  the  seaboard  terminals, 
but  it  was  at  times  entirely  inhibited  by  the  lack  of  facilities  for  removal 
of  gl^in  from  cars.    Mr.  0.  M.  Gray,  assistant  general  freight  agent  of 


'The  "wild"  vessels  of  the  lakes  are  the  trump  vessels  of  the  ocean. 

^Charges  for  shoveling  and  trimming  the  grain  in  the  hold  of  the  ship  are  paid  by 
the  vessel. 

Devtdopment  of  Transportation  Systems  in  the  United  States,  Ringwalt,  p.  211. 

■•Report  of  the  Select  Committee  on  Transportation  Houtos  to  the  Seaboard,  Vol.  I, 
p.  27. 

■Ibid.,  Vol.  II.  p. 346. 

Ibid,  Vol.1,  p.  27. 

H.  Doc.  277 3 


•|' 


84 


STATlSriCS    OF    KAKi:    ( OMMKUCK. 


the  liik*' Sboiji  and  Micliiyuii  Soutluirii  Kiiilnnul,  in  tf^stir.\iiiK  liot'orc 
tlit^  St'iialf  (;<ininiitti'e  on  Trans|)(»i tiitinii  IJoutos  to  tin*  Soaboiu<l, 
stated  tliat  tilt'  lacU  of  tt'iininal  lacilitifs  at  tlu'  st-alxjanl  U>v  |Hoiii|»tlv 
unloadin;;  ears  liad  n'snlled  in  siu-ii  a  .sliurinjicdl' faiH<»n  tlie  rittslmijj, 
l-'nrt  \Va\  nt' anil  <'hita},'o,  and  Mieliijian  ( U'litrai  in  tluMviiitcrnf  1S7-  73 
that  Ilii'Si'  roads  well'  |.raetirall,v  loieed  to  suspend  tiie  iiiovenu'iit  of 
bulky  I'reiylit  lor  a  period  id'  six  \vi'ek>  leeaiise  of  a  lack  of  cars.  His 
(twii  road,  till'  Lake  Shore  and  Michij-an  Sitiithein,  was  reduced  to  such 
straits  h\  lliedearth  ol  ears  that  it  wastbrccd  •>  to  cut  oil  all  lrei^;ht  west 
of  Cliicaj^o  and  receive  nothinji-  excej)!  tlii'  local  I'reiKht  ol'  <'hica},'o."' ' 

I'p  to  within  very  recent  limes  our  (loverninent  has  taken  hut  little 
interest  in  oiii  internal  coumierce,  and  has  therelore  collected  but  little 
int'orination  loiicernin;;  it,  and  thus  it  is  imimssible  to  set  fortii  as  deli- 
uitel.v  anil  accurately  as  nii;,'ht  be  lU'sired  the  diversion  of  the  i^rain 
business  Iroin  the  (ireat  f-akes  to  the  railroads  and  t'loin  the  latter  hack 
to  the  lornier.  We  shall  in  the  main  be  forced  to  rely  hu- statistics 
upon  the  reports  of  the  commercial  liodies  of  the  cities  chielly  con- 
cerned ill  the  j^raiii  business,  and  unfoitiiiiately  ihey  have  not  cidlected 
as  full  or  accurate  iiilormation  as  could  be  desired.  From  the  iwo 
sources,  however,  enough  information  can  be  obtained  to  [tresent  in  a 
rouyli  way  the  chanjie  that  has  taken  place;  but  this  can  not  always 
be  done  in  the  simplest  inanuer. 

The  diversion  of  the  lloiir  and  {jraiii  trallie  from  the  lakes  to  the  rail- 
roads and  from  the  railroails  back  to  the  lakes  will  be  considered  under 
the  followintj  heads:  (1)  The  diversion  of  the  Hour  and  yraiii  business 
as  shown  by  the  move.iient  of  these  commodities  by  lake  ami  rail  from 
(Miicafio;-  (2)  the  diversion  (if  any  there  be)  as  shown  by  such  data  as 
we  liave  of  the  total  eastward  movement;  and  (.'i)  the  export  move- 
ment from  the  Wvst  through  the  (iulf  ports  will  be  examined — it  is  not 
only  a  diversion  from  the  lake  line,  but  also  from  the  east-bound  trunk 
lines, 

II.— rill':  LAKK  AND  KAIL  TRAFFIC  EASTWAliU  FUOM  CHICAGO. 

In  the  early  sixties  the  railroads  began  to  make  serious  inroads  into 
the  Hour  traftie.  from  Chieago,  and  during  the  eighth  decade  seemed 
the  lion's  share  of  this  business.  Flour  was  the  Hrst  heavy  eoinmodity 
of  eom]mratively  low  value  that  the  railroad  carried  in  eouiiu'tition  with 
the  water  lines.  The  railroads  gained  this  tratlie,  partly  because  f  ..p- 
ineiit  by  lake  to  i)oints  not  accessible  to  lake  craft  involved  a  trans- 
shipment, and  Hour  could  not  be  transferred  with  the  same  ease  and 
facility  that  grain  could  be  trans8liii)ped;  partly  because  exi)ed.tioiis 
delivery  is  frequently  demanded,  the  element  of  time  being  of  much 
greater  importance  in  the  movement  of  Hour  tha-n  that  of  grain,  and, 
linally,  because  Hour  can  not  be  stored  without  considerable  loss,  so  it 
would  not  be  held  during  the  winter  for  the  opening  of  navigation  to 
so  large  an  extent  as  grain.  To  these  causes  may  be  added  a  fourth-— 
the  cost  of  marine  insurance.  The  diversion  fiom  the  lakes  to  the  rail- 
roads of  the  trattic  in  Hour  will  be  seen  from  the  table  in  Ai)pendix  II, 
Table  HI,  Fart  I.  It  will  be  noted  that  fiom  the  opening  of  the  seventh 
decade  the  railroads  rapidly  monopolized  the  business,  and  continued  to 
do  so  until  the  year  188().  Since  1885  the  relative  importance  ol  the 
rail  lines  has  diminished.    In  1885  they  carried  almost  seven-eighths  of 


'  Transportation  Rnut«8  to  the  Seaboard,  Vol.  II,  p.  280. 

^  A  table  showing  the  lake  and  rail  movement  of  flour  and  grain  from  Milwaukee 
may  be  found  in  Appendix  II,  Table  IV. 


'Sm 


>  tlu'  Soiiboiinl, 
lid  fur  proiiiptlv 
Ml  tilt'  rittsbmK, 
viiitvriif  l.STli  7;{ 

111'    lllirVtMIUMlt   1)1' 

fU  of  curs.  His 
.  rctliu'cd  to  siudi 
Vail  IVfijilit  west 
ht  III'  <'liicii},'()."" 
titkoii  but  little 
•llectt'd  but  littlt* 
wt't  fort!)  us  di'li- 
oii  (>r  tlu;  ^I'iiiii 
II  flu'  latter  back 
t'ly  tor  statistics 
itics  c,lii«'l1,v  c(»u- 
iive  not  collected 
Fioin  the  1\v»> 
I  to  jtreseiit  in  a 
1  can  not   always 

lakes  to  the  rail- 
•onsidercd  under 
d  yraiii  business 
ke  and  rail  from 
by  such  data  as 
le  export  niove- 
iiiiiiied — it  is  not 
^ast  bound  trunk 


)M  CHICAGO. 

ions  inroads  into 
I  decade  secured 
leavy  eouiinodity 
co!Ui)etitiou  with 
tly  because  f  ..p- 
nvolved  a  trans- 
e  same  ease  and 
ause  exi)ed.ti(>u,s 
e  beinj>'  of  much 
at  of  jiraiu,  and, 
erable  loss,  so  it 
of  liaviaation  to 
added  a  fourth — 
lakes  to  the  rail- 
in  Appendix  II, 
ng  of  the  seventh 
and  continued  to 
luportance  ot  the 
.  seven-eighths  of 


ain  from  Milwaukee 


CHART    III. 

GROSS  TONNAGE  CONSTRUCTED  ON  THE  NORTHERN  L 


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CHART    III. 

NSTRUCTEO  ON  THE  NORTHERN  LAKES,  SHOWING  MATERIAL  USED. 


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STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    C()MMEK(;K. 


35 


the  flour  shipped  eastward  from  (Jhicago,  while  in  18%  they  carried 
but  a  little  luore  thau  three  fifths.' 

For  many  years  the  loiiy  distance  traffic  of  the  railroads  was  almost 
wholly  cou'tiiied  to  the  transportation  of  live  animals,  i)rovisions,  and 
general  merchandise.  As  we  have  seen,  however,  at  a  comparatively 
early  day  the  railroads  secured  a  large  portion  of  the  Hour  business. 
In  1872^  they  became  in  the  fullest  sense  competitors  of  the  lakes  for 
the  wlieat  trattic.  ITp  to  this  time,  althougii  they  had  in  various  years 
carried  considerable  quantities  of  wlieat,  they  had  never  been  regarded 
by  the  lake  carriers  as  serious  rivals. 

In  the  spring  of  1872  the  railroads  entered  the  held  for  a  i)art  of  the 
grain  trattic  and  secMired  a  liberal  i)t)rtion  of  it  tliroughout  tlie  season 
■  of  navigation.  In  the  following  year  the  struggle  was  continued,  the 
railroads  securing  a  large  share  of  the  business.  Since  187.".  ihe  con- 
test has  been  maintained.  In  some  years  the  railroads  have  made 
great  encroachments  into  the  trafiic,  and  in  other  years  tlie  lake  carriers 
have  almost  mono|)oIized  the  business.  Shipments  by  rail  exceeded 
those  by  lake  in  1881,  and  again  in  ISS").  Since  the  latter  year  the 
lakes  have  more  than  held  their  (»wn,  and  in  some  years  have  cajttured 
nearly  all  the  wheat.    The  yearly  movement  by  each  mode  of  transpor- 


1  It  will  be  seen  bv  the  tiible  in  the  appendix  that  the  east-bound  movement  of  Hour 
from  Chicago  readied  its  maximum  volumf  in  1887.  I'ntil  1S8S  most  of  the  Hour 
shipnrd  from  the  Nortliwest  jiasstMl  throiigli  Cliicago,  but  in  1H88.  by  tlie  c.omi.Ietion 
of  the  Miiiu.'apolis.  St.  Paul  and  Siiult  Ste.  Miirie  Railway,  niucli  of  the  dour  business 
was  diverted  from  Cliicajno.  Krom  1882  the  constructicm  of  a  riiilroad  irom  Minne- 
apolis and  St.  Paul  to"  the  north  of  Lake  Muhisan  and  the  lower  lakes  to  the  seaboard 

•id  been  much  diseu88ed«l)y  the  millers  and  shippers  of  tlii'se  two  cities.  Snch  a 
'+,  was  hoped,  would  be  of  signal  advantage  to  the  inlerewts  of  these  two  cities 
.  ;■  the  entire  Northwest,  for  by  this  road  not  only  the  distance  to  the  seaboard 
I  ii  be  materially  shortened  in  "comparison  with  the  circuitous  route  around  the 
'  .  .  of  Lake  Michigan,  but  the  uncertainty  <d'  a  speedy  movement  tlirongli  the 
freight  yards  of  Chicago  would  also  be  obviated.  This  line,  commonly  known  as 
the ''  So'o,"  in  connection  with  the  Canadian  Pacilio  and  lake  vessels,  on  its  omiple- 
tion  at  once  became  a  strong  competitor  for  the  flour  and  grain  business  of  the  North- 
west. During  its  first  year  it  forwarded  from  Minneapidis  l):n,500  barrels  of  Hour, 
and  since  then  shipments  have  rapidly  increased,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  suljjoined 
table. 

The  yearly  shipmests  of  flour  from  Minneapolis  over  the  "  Soo,"  as  given  in  the 
reports  of  the  Minneapolis  Chamber  of  Commerce,  have  been  as  follows: 


Year. 


Barrula. 


Tear. 


Barrels. 


1888 1        931,502 

188B 1,367,792 

1890 l,156,.Me 


1891 i     1,200,642 

1802 •     1,B84,00.'5 

1898 j     1,720,166 


Year. 


1894. 
1805. 
1896. 


Barrels. 


1,  468, 148 
2,111,455 
2,419,914 


Since  1887  shipments  of  flour  to  the  ports  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior  have  also 
greatly  increased,  and  the  combined  rail  and  water  routes  through  Wisoonsm  and 
across  Lake  Michigan  have  secured  a  large  traffic  that  formerly  passed  through 

Chicago.  ,     ,  ,  J.     1      , 

-The  following  table  covers  the  period  in  which  the  great  change  took  place: 

Eastward  shipments  of  wheat  from  Chicai/o. 


Year. 


1870 
1871 
1872 


By  lake. 


BwiheU. 
13, 429, 069 
12, 120, 923 

8,831,870 


By  rail. 


Buihelt. 

2, 621, 699 

576,468 

2,363,810 


Year. 


By  lake. 


Bvuhels. 

1873 ;  15.  628,  984 

1874 1  16,974,149 


By  rail. 


Jluihelt. 
8, 149,  209 
9,  725, 251 


0f  STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCK. 

tatioii  since  1800  is  shown  by  the  Hgnies  given  in  Appendix  U,  Tuble 
III,  part  1.  ,        , 

III  the  years  previous  to  1873,  with  some  exceptions,  most  of  tlie  wheat 
taken  from  Chicago  by  the  railroads  was  secured  in  the  winter  months, 
when  hilce  navigation  was  closed.  Since  1873  the  largest  rail  shipments 
have  often  been  made  after  the  navigation  season  had  fully  opened.' 

In  shipping  by  rail  the  marine  insurance  is  avoided,  the  grain  is  less 
liable  to  damage  in  transit,  is  moved  more  rapidly  and  marketed  more 
readily,  thus  giving  «piicker  returns  and  thereby  saving  interest  charges. 
But  these  advantages  combined  were  not  sufficient  to  overcome  the 
additional  rail  charge  which  was  frequently  exacted.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  the  marine  insurance  in  all  but  exceptional  cases  was  considerably 
less  than  1  per  cent  per  bushel,  and  the  difference  in  time  between  the  • 
all  rail  and  lake  and  rail  was  not  a  large  factor.  The  danger  from 
heating  in  special  cases  would  be  very  great,  but  in  most  cases  it  would 
(piite  disappear.  During  May,  1875,  the  difference  in  rates  amounted 
to  10  cents,  and  with  such  a  variation  it  is  surprising  that  the  railroads 
should  have  secured  any  wheat  at  all.  With  a  fuller  knowledge  of  the 
situation,  however,  this  will  be  readily  understood.  The  published 
rates  were  not  the  real  rates.  Says  Mr.  E.  U.  Walker,  statistician  of 
the  New  York  Produce  Exchange:  "  During  a  portion  of  the  year  1875, 
the  transportation  by  rail  has  been  by  the  agreed  schedule  of  rates.'"* 

The  implication  is  that  rates  were  generally  not  maintained,  and 
such-  must  have  been  the  case.  From  January  to  October  the  rates 
given  in  the  Internal  Commerce  reports  remained  stationary  at  24 
cents  per  bushel,  then  fell  1  cent  for  October,  but  recovered  for  Novem- 
ber, and  rose  to  2S  cents  for  December.^ 

The  statistician  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange^  says  that  rates 
were  very  low  from  the  opening  of  the  year  until  October,  when  they 
advanced  very  sharply,  but  the  published  rates  do  not  show  this 
movement.  He  also  informs  us  that  flour  and  grain  were  carried  in 
large  quantities  from  St.  T-ouis  to  New  York  by  all  rail  at  24  cents  per 

» The  seriousness  of  the  competition  offered  by  the  railroads  at  times  during  the 
navijjation  season  will  be  made  evident  by  the  following  table: 


I  Shipments  rturinf;  tlia 
month  of  May. 


Vcar. 


By  lake. 


By  rail. 


!     fereiice  of 
:  r-ites  in  favor 
i   of  the  Inke 
land  rail  route 
iaa  againHtthe 
'  all-rail  route. 


Bvshelt. 

,U7<>                             *                                       i  272,591  ! 

itnt :  l,82;t,310 

\„i 2,367,798 

\ll;r, ■. J,18().«5 

1870  ;;;!;!!!ii'i'i^^i^- -■•■--■■-- 1.810,340 

1 0171T                             ___ 755, 962 


1878  . 


002,  958 


Bushels. 

340, 584 

947,902  ' 
1,210,352  : 

735,  666 
1,114,137  i 

270, 110  I 
1,  369,  733  i 


Cent*. 


2 
6 
7 
10 
1 
3. 


For  this  data  see  Internal  Commerce,  1876,  charts  2  and  3,  ard  Internal  Commerce, 
1879  AT)pcndi\,  pp.  246-247.  The  third  column  of  the  tabic  shows  a  Bnrpnsing 
amount  of  freight  secured  by  the  railroads  in  view  of  the  great  diftereuce  which 
frequently  obtained  in  rates.    Perhaps  the  published  rates  were  not  adhered  to. 

^  New  York  Produce  Exchange,  1874-75,  p.  231. 

:<  Internal  Commerce  of  United  States,  1876,  chart  No.  1. 

<New  York  Produce  Exchange,  1874-75,  pp.  231-236. 


mmMmmmsmm 


mumtim 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


37 


dix  U,  Tuble 

of  the  wheat 
liter  months, 
111  shipiueuts 
y  opened.' 
!  grain  is  less 
sirketed  more 
'rest  charges, 
(verooiiie  the 
is  safe  to  say 
considerably 
!  between  the  • 
danger  from 
ases  it  would 
tes  amounted 
the  railroads 
wledge  of  the 
he  published 
itatistician  of 
he  year  1875, 
le  of  rates."  * 
iitained,  and 
ber  the  rates 
tionary  at  24 
)d  for  Novem- 

ays  that  rates 
sr,  when  they 
ot  show  this 
ire  carried  in 
b  24  cents  per 


men  (luring  the 


the 


Xoiiiinal  ilif- 

fereiice  of 
rates  in  favor 

i    of  the  lake 

I  and  rail  route 

ail.     aHagninHtthe 

i  all-rail  route. 


hell. 

),  584  I 

1.  »02  i 

),:!52  i 

5,  6C6  I 

I,  137  I 

9,  IIU  I 
9,  732 


Centi. 


2 
6 
7 
10 
1 

3.6 
1.1 


jrniil  Commerce, 
•w8  a  Bnrprisitig 
iiftereuce  which 
t  adhered  to. 


1(»0  jiouuds,  which  would  be  equivalent  to  la  cents  per  bushel.'  It 
is  iiardh-  to  be  supjjosed  that  the  rate  from  Chicago  to  New  Vorli 
was  maintained  at  24  tieiits,  with  a  rate  of  15  cents  from  St.  Louis. 
That  railroad  rates  were  not  stable  during  the  year  1S7.')  is  also  testified 
to  by  Mr.  Charles  Randolph,  in  his  report  as  secretary  foi  the  Chicago 
Board  of  Trade.^ 

In  a  general  way  it  may  be  said  tliat  the  corn  traflic  lias  followed  the 
same  course  as  the  wheat  traffic.  The  railroads  appear,  however,  to 
have  secured  a  considerable  share  of  this  business  at  an  even  earlier 
time  than  they  obtained  a  large  part  of  the  wheat  traffic.  During  the 
years  1S(»,S,  I8i»!),  and  1870  the  railroads  (tarried  considerable  ([uanti- 
ties  of  corn,  and  then  for  live  years  transported  but  little  of  this  com- 
modity. In  the  movement  of"^this  important  crop  the  year  1870  was 
the  decisive  turning  point.  The  croi)of  com  grown  in  1875  was  large 
and  of  good  (piality  and  the  export  demand  was  steady  and  strong,  so 
the  grain  was  moved  rapidly  forward  by  rail.  Throughout  187<»  the 
rail  routes  competed  vigorously  with  the  lake  lines  and  obtained  a  large 
share  of  the  traffic.  During  the  months  of  May  and  June  (i,208,70(> 
bushels  of  corn  were  shiiiped  from  Chicago  by  lake,  and  5,588,8.'{0  bush- 
els by  rail.'  The  amount  of  corn  carried  by  rail  during  the  year  1884 
was  almost  equal  to  that  transported  by  lake.  During  the  following 
year  the  shipments  by  rail  aUain  almost  eijuah-d  those  by  lake,  the 
amounts  being,  respectively,  28,082,864  and  2t»,a82,.J91  bushels.  Since 
1885  the  lakes  have  regained  much  of  the  east  bound  traffic  lost  in  the 
earlier  years  In  1890  they  carried  more  than  six  times  as  much  com 
as  the  railroads.     . 

We  have  now  (lonsidered  the  partial  diversion  from  the  lakes  to  the 
railroads  of  the  Hour,  wheat,  and  com  shijiped  from  Chicago  to  the  Kast. 
There  yet  remains  to  be  considered  the  movement  of  oats,  the  one  grain 
not  yet  taken  up  that  is  shipi>ed  eastward  in  large  (luantities.  Kve  and 
barley,  the  other  important  cereals,  are  not  tiansiiorted  in  sufficient 
amounts  to  warrant  separate  treatment.  During  180(5  the  aggregate 
shipments  by  lake  and  rail  from  Chicago  amounted  to  but  11,142,217 
bushels.^  Their  movement  may  be  inferred  in  a  general  way  from  the 
discussion  of  the  transportation  of  the  other  grains. 

At  a  ve-y  early  date,  as  will  be  seen  by  an  examination  of  Table  III, 
part  II,  Appendix  11,  the  trausportatitm  of  oats  by  rail  assumed  an 
important  pi>sitioii.  During  18(52,  1803, 1804,  and  1  05  a  very  large  por- 
tion of  the  oats  carried  out  of  Chicago  was  taken  by  the  railroads.  This 
was  largely  due  to  the  exceptional  conditions  which  prevailed.  The 
principal  contracts  let  all  over  the  United  States  for  supplying  the 
armies  in  the  South  with  oats  were  filled  in  Chicago.  As  a  result,  the 
shipment  of  oats  from  Chicago  during  the  war  increased  with  surpris- 
ing rapidity;  for  the  year  1801  they  amounted  to  only  1,492,507  bush- 
els, while  for  the  last  nine  months  of  1864  and  the  first  three  months 
of  1805  they  reached  the  large  total  of  15,020,792  bushels. 

As  a  natural  consequence  the  railroads  leading  from  Chicago  were 
called  upon  to  transport  much  of  this  grain,  and  as  there  were  no  rail- 
roads runiiiiig  far  to  the  South  west  of  the  Mississipjii,  and  but  a  sin- 
gle road  crossing  the  Ohio  River  aud  running  to  the  Soutli  througU 
Kentucky,  it  became  necessary  to  send  commodities  to  the  southeastern 
points  by  the  roundabout  eastern  lines.    After  the  war  closed  the 

'  New  York  Pntduco  Exchange,  1874-7.5,  p.  232. 

2  Report  of  Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  1«75,  pp.  18.  li». 

'  Internal  Commerce,  187(5,  chart  No.  3.     Navigation  opened  before  the  Isfc  of  May. 

^  Report  of  Cliicago  Board  of  Trade,  1896,  p.  3.  . 


Si 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKK    COMMERCE. 


«!• 


movement  of  oats  by  rail  diniiuished  somewhat,  but  very  shortly 
increased  at  a  rapid  rate,  and  in  1873  the  shipments  by  rail  greatly 
exceeded  those  by  lake.  From  1873  to  1880  the  railroads  secured 
almost  th«  whole  traflic,  and  in  some  years  left  but  an  insignificant 
amount  to  the  lake  carriers.  Since  the  latter  year  the  vessel  men  have 
reentered  the  Held  for  this  business  and  now  obtain  a  large  portion  ot 
it,  but  the  railroads  still  hold  the  larger  share. 

The  statistics  of  the  movement  of  oats  show  that  the  railroads  -ar- 
rie<l  a  larger  proi)ortiou  of  this  than  of  other  grains.  This  is  surprising, 
for  oats  is  a  commodity  of  comparatively  low  value  and  large  bulk,  and 
it  is  generally  held  that  this  class  of  goods  is  best  adapted  to  water 
transportation.  The  explanations  of  the  larger  rail  movement  of  oats 
are  not  far  to  seek;  one  of  them,  however,  runs  counter  to  long  estab- 
lished opinion.  Oats  take  up  moisture  more  readily  than  other  grains, 
and  as  a  very  small  amount  will  cause  oats  to  become  musty  and  thus 
unfit  for  horse  feed,  it  is  sometimes  found  advantageous  to  ship  this 
grain  by  rail.  But  there  is  another  and  far  more  potent  cause  for  the 
surprisingly  large  rail  movement  of  oats.  It  is  the  lake  rates;  these 
are  fixed  more  upon  the  basis  of  bulk  than  ot  weight,  and  as  oats  is  a 
bulky '  product,  the  freight  per  hundred  pounds  is  considerably  higher 
than  on  wheat  and  corn.  ,    .  ,    ,.      .... 

Enough  oats  can  not  be  stowed  away  in  the  hohl  ot  a  ship  to  secure  a 
car'-o  equal  in  weight  to  that  of  the  same  ship  loaded  with  wheat,  and 
therefore  it  is  necessary  to  fix  a  higher  rate  per  hundred  pounds  upon 
oats  than  upon  wheat.  The  grain  car,  on  the  other  hand,  is  so  large 
that  there  is  no  ditticultvin  loading  it  to  its  full  carrying  capacity  with 
the  bulky  product  oats,  and  as  a  coiisetiuence  the  rail  rates  on  oats  are 
no  more  per  hundred  pounds  than  those  on  wheat  and  corn.  1  he  larger 
lake  movement  of  oats  in  recent  years  is  perhaps  in  part  explained  by 
the  tact  that  since  the  agitation  for  deeper  channels  began  vessels 
have  been  constructed,  to  draw  more  water  when  fully  loaded  than  the 
existing  channels  would  permit.  This  being  the  situation,  many  vessels, 
so  to  speak,  would  have  extra  cargo  room  or  unoccupied  space  when 
transporting  heavy  commodities.  These  vessels,  to  a  certain  extent, 
would  sutler  no  loss  in  carrying  the  bulky  product  oats,  for  if  they  car- 
ried wheat  or  corn  a  part  of  the  hold  would  remain  empty. 


III.— THE  TOTAL  EAST-BOUND  TRAFFIC. 

An  almost  entire  absence  of  statistics  of  the  grain  and  tlour  trans- 
ported over  the  railroads  that  tap  the  surplus  grain  producing  regions 
stretching  far  out  to  the  south,  west,  and  north  of  Chicago,  makes  ,t 
wholly  impossible  to  present  anything  approaching  a  satisfactory  ex- 
position of  the  general  movement  of  these  commodities.  Thus  tar 
nearly  all  the  facts  we  possess  have  been  gathered  under  the  direction 
of  the  commercial  organizations  of  the  cities  in  which  the  graiii  and  Hour 
business  is  centered.^ 

'ThTnmnberH  32,  56,  and  60  represout,  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy ,*the  weights 
of  a  like  bulk  of  oats,  corn,  and  wheat,  respectively.  The  measured  bushel  of  oats 
"4rKh8  about  32  pounds,  thit  of  shelled  .orn  56,  and  that  of  >vheat  60  ?t^e  measured 
busf  el  of  oats,  however  more  frequently  exceeds  32  pounds  than  ^of  that  of  wheat 
exceed  60  pounds.  Recently  there  has  been  a  machine  invented  lor  "clipping  oats. 
By  "clipping"  the  weight  of  the  measured  bushel  is  increased  by  one-halt  to  one  ana 

""n'he^stati'sWes  published  by  these  organizations  are  generally  in  part  based  upon 
the  custom-house  records.    For  the  sources  of  the  grain  statistics  see  Appendix  II. 


Tf 


■BWflV-WllU.J'JIiB'" 


)'  'B>ynwwwML«»iiBwn' 


ery  shortly 
rail  greatly 
ids  set'ured 
nsigniticiiiit 
el  men  have 
e  portion  of 

Eiilroutis  :;ar- 
8  surprising, 
ge  bulk,  and 
ted  to  water 
neiit  of  oats 

long-eatab- 
ther  grains, 
ity  and  thus 

to  ship  this 
a  use  for  the 
rates;  these 
1  as  oats  is  a 
rably  higher 

I>  to  secure  a 

I  wheat,  and 

)ounds  upon 

1,  is  so  large 

apacity  with 

s  on  oats  are 

The  larger 

exi)lained  by 

egan  vessels 

ded  than  the 

nany  vessels, 

I  space  when 

irtain  extent, 

r  if  they  car- 


L  tlour  trans- 
icing  regions 
igo,  makes  ;t 
tisfactory  ex- 
s.  Thus  far 
the  direction 
'aiif  and  tlour 


G,y,'the  weights 
I  bushel  of  outs 
)  ,*  the  ineasured 
8  thiit  of  wheat 
clipping''  outs, 
'halt  to  oue  aud 

»urt  baxed  upon 
)  Appendix  II. 


STATISTICH   OF    LAKE   COMMERCK. 


39 


While  these  data  are  complete  enough  for  many  pui'iioses,  they  are 
not  sutticiently  comj)rehensive  to. disclose  the  characteristics  of  the 
general  movement  of  the  cereals  from  the  interior  producing  regions  to 
the  consuming  districts  of  the  East  and  Soutli,  and  to  foreign  countries. 
Thus  far,  our  General  (lovernment  has  devoted  but  little  attention  to 
inland  commerce;  the  reports  on  our  internal  commerce  whiiih  have 
appeared  up  to  this  time  have  t;oiitaine(l  but  little  statistical  matter 
which  had  not  previously  appeared  in  re|)ort8  of  transportation  com- 
panies, boards  of  trade,  produce  exchanges,  and  chambers  of  commerce 
of  our  great  trading  centers. 

1  shall  now  attempt  to  show,  but  in  a  soinewiuit  roundabout  way, 
what  siiare  of  the  Hour  and  grain  tratHc;  from  the  West  to  the  Kast  lias 
fallen  to  the  lakes,  ami  what  portion  has  been  secured  by  the  railroads. 
The  figure-'  which  will  be  given  should  in  no  case  be  wrested  from  their 
context.  (3(mditions  which  obtained  at  the  beginning  of  the  |)eriod 
under  consideration  no  longer  exist,  and  thus  the  statistics  standing  by 
themselves  would  be  very  misleading. 

The  transportation  of  Hour  and  the  chief  three  cereals — corn,  w  beat, 
and  oats — will  be  investigate*!.  In  the  case  of  each  oue  of  these  com- 
modities, the  receipts  at  the  principal  eight  Atlantic  ports  will  be  com- 
pared with  the  receipts  by  water  at  the  chief  lower  lake  ports.  If  the 
receipts  at  the  Atlantic  iiorts  increased  at  a  more  rapid  ratio  than  those 
of  the  lake  ports  it  may  be  legitimately  inferred,  if  all  circumstances 
except  those  of  transportation  remain  unchanged,  that  the  raiimails 
were  proving  the  stronger  competitoi",  and  vice  versa.  The  conditions, 
however,  as  will  be  shown  as  each  commodity  is  considered,  have  not 
reuuiined  Axed. 

Attention  is  first  invited  to  the  movementof  wheat ;  the  transportation 
of  Hour  will  next  be  taken  up.  The  order  of  consideration  has  been 
purposely  changed,  because  the  movementof  Hour  is  partially  explained 
by  the  wrcumstances  which  have  aifected  the  alterations  in  the  ship- 
ment of  wheat.  A  very  large  portion  of  the  grain  shipped  by  lake  is 
received  at  Butfalo  and  Erie,  and  therefore  the  receipts  of  these  two 
ports  may  be  regarded  as  fairly  representing  the  lake  movement.' 
Moreover,  the  relation  between  the  receipts  of  grain  at  these  ports  and 
the  other  lower  lake  ports  has  not  materially  changed ;  so,  for  comparative 
purposes,  the  amounts  received  at  Buffalo  and  Erie  maybe  assumed  as 
reflecting  the  whole  movement  by  lake.  In  the  comparisons  which  will 
be  instituted,  the  total  receipts  at  the  lower  lake  ports  by  lake  have 
not  been  used,  for  the  reason  that  such  statistics  can  not  be  had  except 
for  the  census  year  1889. 

The  impossibility  of  securing  statistics  of  the  entire  movement  to 
and  through  the  Atlantic  States' and  the  eastern  portion  of  Canada  has 
forced  me  to  accept  the  receipts  ^  at  the  chief  centers  of  the  grain  and 
Hour  business  on  the  Atlantic  Seaboard  as  indicative  of  the  whole  move- 
ment into  the  regions  Just  mentioned.  It  thus  appears  that  the  value 
of  the  comparison  turns  (1)  upon  the  accuracy  with  which  the  lake 
movement  is  reHected  by  the  receipts  at  Buffalo  and  Erie,  and  (2)  upon 
the  permanence  of  the  proportion  existing  between  the  total  movement 

'  Insufflcient  duta  make  it  difBcult  tu  ^ive  an  eHtimate  of  the  relation  between  the 
receipts  of  Knflfalo  and  Erip  and  those  of  all  the  low^r  lake  ports,  but  it  is  probably, 
safe  to  say  that  the  recei;its  of  Butfalo  and  Erie  are  80  per  cent  oif  the  total. 

-  Instead  of  the  receipts  at  Newport  News  and  Norfolk,  I  have  used  the  exports, 
for  the  latter  alone  represent  the  tralBe  which  may  be  regarded  as  competitive  between 
the  lakes  and  the  railroads.  The  other  ports  selecteu  are  Montreal,  Portland,  Bos- 
ton, New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore. 


m 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKK    roMMEHCK. 


to  the  Beaboavd  and  that  to  tlie  selcctiMl  porta.  As  lias  already  l»een 
stilted,  the  receipts  at  I'.iinalo  and  Eii«>  reflect,  with  coiisiderahle exact- 
ness, the  total  iiioveinent  by  vessel  to  the  lower  lakeporta.  As  towhetlier 
the  i)roportioii  between  the  total  movement  to  the  seaboard  and  that 
to  tiie  selected  jtorts  has  remained  the  same,  we  can  not  speak  with  the 
same  assurance,  for  we  have  but  few  statistics  to  assist  us  in  forming 
opinions.  As  the  exports  of  wheat  seem  to  have  maintained  a  fairly 
constant  relation  to  the  total  producttion  of  wheat  in  the  United  States, 
yearly  fluctuations  being  left  out  of  acicount,  it  may  be  assumed  that 
the  receipts  at  the  seaboard  ports  of  wheat  for  export  have  not  varied 
greatly.  The  (piestion  then  remains  as  to  whether  or  not  the  total 
receipts  at  the  seaboard  ports,  less  the  (piantities  exported,  have 
increased  at  as  rapid  a  rate  as  the  receipts  at  all  the  other  points  com- 
bined. This  question  must  pr(»bably  be  answered  in  the  negative,  and 
for  two  reasons:  In  the  earlier  years  of  the  period  under  considera- 
tion the  smaller  iutericu-  cities  sehlom  eti.joye<l  as  favorable  freight  rates 
as  the  larger  cities,  and  so  the  former  often  obtained  their  supplies  from 
the  latter;  and  in  the  earlier  years,  when  the  Eastern  States  produced  a 
large  portion  of  the  wheat  consumed,  tlie  smaller  cities  of  the  localities 
where  the  grain  was  raised  would  be  sure  to  obtain  the  surplus,  leav- 
ing the  larger  cities  to  look  to  the  more  remote  region.^  for  the  satisfac- 
tion of  their  necessities. 

By  examining  Table  V,  Part  I,  in  Appendix  II,  it  will  be  seen  that  from 
the  beginning  of  the  period  under  examination  (1S(W)  down  to  the  year 
1S7(1,  the  combined  receipts  of  wheat  at  Buffalo  and  ICrie  by  lake  were, 
altlKmgh  varying  from  year  to  year,  somewhat  more  than  one-half  as 
large  as  those  of  the  selected  Atlantic  ports.  In  1S7<»  tliis  relation  was 
slightly  changed,  and  for  the  first  time  the  i( ceipts  of  the  Atlantic 
ports  were  more  than  double  those  of  the  two  lake  ports;  there  was, 
however,  no  great  change,  as  the  receipts  at  the  former  i)orts  were 
4:.' 881,()0(>  bushels,  and  at  the  latter  L»l,147,Oi»(».  During  ISTT^ihe  lake 
ports  regained  their  fornrer  position,  the  receipts  being  2u, 791, 191 
bushels,  while  the  receipts  at  the  Atlantic  ports  were  4<;,8'J8,00(>  bushels. 
Thus  far  the  relation  existing  between  the  receipts  at  the  lower  lake 
ports  and  at  tidewater  on  the  Atlantic  Coast  have  remained  fairly  con- 
stant, although  the  aggregate  receipts  have  increased  appreciably.  A 
great  change  took  place  during  the  next  five  years.  The  ratio  between 
the  receipts  at  the  lower  lake  ports  and  the  Atlantic  ports  was  very 
much  altered ;  instead  of  being  about  as  1  to  2,  the  ratio  was  now  a,bout 
as  1  to  3i;  for  the  five-year  period  the  aggregate  stood  at  17'J.(»  million 
and  r>48.d  million  bushels,  respectively.  For  the  year  1881  the  receijjts 
at  the  Atlantic  ports  were  more  than  four  times  as  large  as  the  re- 
ceipts at  Buttalo  and  Erie.  In  1883  there  was  a  partial  return  to  the 
relations  which  formerly  obtained,  and  in  1884  there  was  a  still  further 
change,  so  that  for  this  year  the  receipts  at  the  Atlantic  ports  lacked 
just  a  trifle  of  being  double  those  of  the  lake  iwrts.  For  the  three 
succeeding  years  there  was  no  great  change.  But  in  1888  and  in  the 
following  year  the  situation  changed  so  much  that  for  the  year  189.5 
the  receipts  at  Buttalo  and  Erie  almost  equaled  those  of  the  selected 
Atlantic  ports,  the  re(!eipts  of  the  former  being  49,033,100,  and  of  the 
latter  49,lior),000  bushels.  This  proportion  during  189(1  was  changed 
■  somewhat  in  favor  of  the  Atlantic  ports. 

Thus  far  nothing  but  the  superficial  facts  have  been  presented.  1  hese 
seem  to  show  that  the  railroads  and  the  lakes  maintained  a  pretty  even 
struggle  during  the  decade  beginning  with  18G8,  and  that  for  five  years 


mtm 


.illliHIM  H*tmWJI4^lWWHi]llfMi,W11llll 


Irciidy  l»e»»ii 

LTilbU^  I'XlKif- 

s  towln'tlier 
u'd  and  that 
oak  with  the 
s  ill  t'oniiing 
iiied  a  fairly 
iiitod  Stntes, 
ssiiincd  that 
not  varied 
ot  the  total 
>orted,  have 

points  (!om- 
t'gative,  and 
r  coiisidera- 
freifjht  rates 
supplies  IVoin 
s  i)rodiu!ed  a 
tlie  localities 
urplns,  leav- 
the  satisfac- 

een  that  from 
n  to  the  year 
by  lake  were, 
I  one-half  as 
relation  was 
the  Atlantic 
s;  there  was, 
iv  iK)rts  were 
ISTT^he lake 
!}••  25,791, 491 
•i,0()(»  bushels, 
he  lower  lake 
led  fairly  con- 
)reciably.  A 
ratio  between 
jrts  was  verj' 
as  now  about 
i  172.(i  million 
I  the  recei])t8 
ji'e  as  the  re- 
return  to  the 
a  still  further 
ports  lacked 
i'or  the  three 
SS  and  in  the 
iie  year  1895 
F  the  selected 
0,  and  of  the 
was  changed 

snted.  These 
a  pretty  even 
for  five  years 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMKKCK. 


«t 


thereafter  the  railroads  p:aiMed  a  decisive  iidv  anta<;e  iind  then  for  ii  few 
years  wnged  a  stnbboi  ii  <'onte8t,  but  only  to  l>e  utterly  driven  from  the 
field  in  the  years  from  ISSS  to  1S9(».  The  facts  thus  far  presented,  iiow- 
evor,  are  wholly  inadequate  tor  an  understanding  of  the  events  wiiich 
have  taiu'ii  place.  Conditions  have  radicali,.  changed.  Tlie  striking 
fact  in  the  history  of  wheat  growing  in  the  I'nited  States  during  the 
jmst  thirty  years  has  been  tho  westward  and  northward  movement  of 
the  surplus  wheat-producing  areas.' 

At  tlie  beginning  of  the  period  nniler  consideration,  New  York  and 
PeniLsylvaiiia  held  pr«»iiiiiient  places  among  tlie  wheat  producing 
States,  and  the  great  wheat  raising  States  were  for  the  most  part  on 
the  southern  shores  of  the  chain  of  (ireat  Lakes,  liy  the  middle  of  the 
eighties  all  this  was  changed  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  surplus 
wheat  grown  in  the  Tiiited  States  was  harvested  in  the  far  Northwest, 
the  Dakotas  and  Minnesota  being  the  principal  wheat  growing  States. 
The  last  column  of  the  foregoing  table  disclo-^es  the  ine.seiit  imjiortance 
of  these  States,  two  of  wiiich  produced  no  snrjilus  wheat  until  the 
middle  of  the  period  -'nder  examination.  The  westward  and  north- 
ward movement  of  the  wheat  raising  areas  has  had  a  very  decisive 
intiuenc(^  in  the  selection  of  the  agencies  employed  in  the  movciient 
eastward  of  the  grain  produced.  When  the  grain  to  be  shiiiped  was 
raised  in  i)hio  and  Indiana  and  in  the  southern  jiortions  of  Michigan. 
and  Illinois  it  was  almost  sure  to  go  by  rail,  for  in  nearly  all  ca.><es  sliip- 
ment  by  water  would  involve  a  short  rail  haul  to  the  lakes,  with  its 
high  local  rales,  and  in  some  cases,  after  the  grain  reached  the  lake,  it 
would  be  only  slightly  advanced  in  its  eastwanl  journey  by  lake  .ship- 
ment. Charges  of  transshipment  in  the  case  of  the  short  lake  ship- 
ment would  be  of  relatively  greater  importance  than  in  the  case  of  the 
larger  lake  slii]iinent.  In  the  early  days  the  grain  grown  in  the  West 
was  produced  in  regions  or  carried!  to  i)laces  where  the  railroads  were 
in  a  favorable  position  to  c(uni)ete  for  it.  Most  Western  wheat  found 
its  way  to  Chicago  or  Milwaukee. 


'  In  Kpeakiiij;  of  the  greiit  wlieat-prodncing  areas,  I  refer  only  to  tbe  wlieat-growiiig 
rojjfions  ouHt  of  the  Rocky  Monntnins.     The  sbii  iiig  of  nreiis  is  maile  clear  liy  tlie 


following;  table: 


I'mdnclion  of  wheat. 

1,000  omitted.] 


1869. a 


State  or 
Territory. 


Yield. 


BM»h. 

lUiiiois 80,128 

lowo 20.  4:16 

Oliio 27,»82 

Indiauii 27,747 

WiBCoiisin 25,«16 

Feuimvlviiuiii...  19,073 

MinneHota 18,806 

Mitliigan 16,205 

Missdiiri 14, 31.'> 

NewYorlt 12,178 

KQutiickv .5, 7J1) 

Kiiiisiis  .'. 2.  3«0 

Nebraska 2,125 

Dakota 171 


1879. 6 

State  or 
Territory. 

Yield. 

Ituth. 

Illinois 

51,111 

Indiana 

47,  285 

Ohio 

46.015 

Miuliiiiau 

1)5, 5;i:! 

Minnesota 

114,  001 

Iowa 

31, 154 

Missouri 

24,967 

Wisconsin 

24,  8K5 

Pennsylvania.. 

10,  462 

Kansas 

17,  324 

Neliraska 

13,847 

New  York 

11,588 

Kentucky 

11,350 

Dakota 

2,  830 

1880.  c 


State  or 
Territory . 


Minnesota 

Dakotas 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Ohio 

Kansas 

Missouri 

Michigan 

Pennsylvania. - 

Wisconsin 

Kentucky 

Nebraska 

New  York 

Iowa 


Yield. 


Ilttth. 

52.  300 
40,  U45 
37.  389 
37,310 
35,  5.59 
30,  399 
30,114 
24, 771 
21,, 505 
11,009 
10, 707 
10,  .571 
8,  305 
8,250 


1895.  d 

State  or 
Territory. 


Dakotas 

Miuncsota 

Ohio 

Kansas 

I'cnusv  Ivania 

Indiaiut 

Illinois 

Missouri 

Mlchican 

Nebraska 

Iowa 

Kentiuky 

Wisconsin 

Now  York 


Yield. 


JIush. 

90.310 

65.  584 

32,  21« 

22, 019 

20.  456 

•.'0,  294 

19.001 

1«.  499 

15.238 

14.  787 

13,655 

9,501 

8.016 

7,  301 


a  Ninth  Census:  Industry  and  Wealth,  p.  83. 

6  Tenth  Census  i  Vol.  Ill,  p.  177. 

cKeport  ou  the  .Staiistics  of  Agriculture  in  the  Tnited  States  at  the  Kleventh  Census.  |>.  10. 

(/Keirort  ol'  the  (Chicago  Board  of  Trade,  1893.  |i.  182. 


■DWMMMa 


"•W 


42 


STATISTICS    OF    I.AKK    COMMKRCK 


From  these  |»t>iiit8  the  rivihmuls  possess  a  decitled  iulvantafje  over 
the  lake  (;arriers  in  the  point  of  distance,  lor  tlie  hitter  tniist  round  the 
lower  peniiisnhi  of  Michigan,  while  the  former  run  directly  atiross 
(MHintry  to  their  destination,  hroni  Chicago  to  Buflfalo  by  lake  is  8.S9 
iiiilcH,'' while  the  distance  from  Chicago  to  New  York  City  by  the 
shortest  rail  route  is  but  !>l-5  niiles.-' 

Krotn  Buffalo  to  Xew  York  ( 'My  by  the  sliortest  rail  route  is  410  miles. ' 
It  tlius  ai)'>ears  tiiat  every  mile  covered  in  the  passage  to  Buttviio  by 
lake  results  in  an  elfective  eastward  movement  of  0.r»t54  mile.  By  the 
westward  and  northward  movement  of  tiie  surplu  wheat-jtrodiu-ing 
region  the  situation  has  been  wholly  changed.  ?.  J  districts  which 
forujcrly  produced  the  surplus  that  was  almost  »;ertaiu  to  go  by  rail  now 
grow  but  little  if  any  more  wiieat  than  will  satisfy  their  own  necessities, 
but  tiie  location  of  the  new  wli'  at  growing  areas  is  the  important  factor. 
These  districts  are  located  directly  west  of  Lake  8uperior.  This  fact 
is  clearly  sliown  by  the  crop  maps  of  the  Kleventh  Census.^  The  pro- 
duction of  wheat  iii  the  far  North  has  been  greatly  increased  since  these 
maps  were  published,  as  will  be  seen  by  an  examination  of  the  table  <m 
page  41.  As  a  result  of  this  northward  and  westward  movement  of 
the  wheat  lields,  tlie  raib-oads  have  lost  the  advantage  in  point  of  dis- 
tance which  they  formerly  possessed.  By  the  siiifting  of  the  wheat 
growing  districts  the  lake  carriers  have  been  placed  upon  terms  of 
substantial  equality  with  railroads.  In  shipping  by  lake  from  Ciiictago 
it  was  found  that  every  nule  tiaversed  in  the  i>aasage  to  Buffalo  resulted 
in  effective  eastward  movenu'nt  of  but  0.r)04  mile.  Shipment  by  water 
from  the  head  of  Lake  Sui)eiior  is  not  accompanied  by  this  wasteful 
cxi>enditure  of  energy.  Kvery  mile  the  grain  is  moved  results  in  its 
being  practically  I  mile  nearer  one  of  our  great  exi>orting  ports.' 

The  increased  importance  of  the  shipments  of  wheat  from  the  far 
Northwest,  in  the  receipts  at  Buffah)  and  Erie,  is  made  clear  by  the 


'Elfveiitb  reiisus:  Trunsportjitioii  HuNiiies8.  I'lnt  II,  p.  200. 
■Chiiago  to  New  York  <'it,v  over  r\ie  PeimsylvHuia  Railroiid. 
from  Chicago  to  the  dirt'erent  seiilxiard  cities  ino  im  follows: 


Hv  mil  the  distances 


Milt^s. 
1,001) 


'l"o  Newport  News  , 
To  Norfolk 


Miles. 
8iK5 
5184 


To  Hoston 

To  Baltimore W: 

To  Philadelphia 822 

•    (Raihoad  Ga/.ette,  Vol.  XXIX,  No.  13,  p.  215.) 

•'  From  Hiiffalo  and  Erie  the  distance  to  the  sealward  ports  by  the  shortest  routes 
is  as  follows : 


Milex. 

Buffalo  to  New  York 410 

Buffalo  to  Boston 481 

Buffalo  to  Philadelphia 418 

Buffalo  to  Baltimore 402 


Milps. 

Erie  to  New  York 512 

Erie  to  Boston liW 

Erie  to  Philadelphia 506 

Erie  to  Baltimore 490 


(Ibid.,  p.  216.) 

^  Eleventh  Census:  Statistics  of  Agriculture;  Crop  Map  No.  13. 

'  In  comparison  with  certain  rail  routes,  however,  the  lake  route  from  the  head  of 
Lake  Superior  does  not  appiai  in  this  favorable  light.  Either  the  Duluth,  South 
Shore  and  Atlautic.  or  the  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul,  and  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Canadian  Pacilic,  affords  a  nuich  shorter  line  to  an  oceau  port  (Mon- 
treal) than  do  the  lakes  and  the  railroads  to  any  of  our  Atlantic  ports.  T'hese  all-rail 
lines  may  in  the  future  effectively  compete  with  the  lake  carriers  in  the  transporta- 
tion of  grain  to  (certain  legions.'  It  does  not  follow  because  these  roads  have  not 
done  so  in  the  past  that  they  will  not  do  so  in  the  future.  The  discussion  of  this 
point,  however,  would  lead  "us  too  far  afield,  and  therefore  it  will  not  now  be 
taken  up. 


vantajje  over 
UHt  round  thu 
irectly  iit!ro«8 
)y  lake  is  8S9 
City  by  the 

B  is  410  miles. ' 

to  Buft'iiio  by 
mile.  By  the 
eat-i)ro«liic.iiig 
istricts  whicli 
\io  by  rail  now 
HI  necessities, 
)ortaiit  factor, 
or.  This  fact 
18.^  The  pro- 
ied  since  tiiese 
if  the  table  <m 

m()vement  of 
I  point  of  tlia- 
of  the  wheat- 
ipon  terui.s  of 

from  Ciii<!ago 
utt'alo  resulted 
inent  by  water 
'  this  wasteful 

results  ill  its 
g  ports.' 
,  from  the  far 
I  clear  by  the 

rnil  the  (listancps 


Miles. 

896 

J)84 


le  shortest  routes 

Milan. 

512 

fiW 

506 

, 490 


iVoiu  the  head  of 
lio  Duliith,  South 
ifarie,  in  connec- 
x'cau  port  (Mou- 
8.  'I'hose  all-rail 
a  the  tvansporta- 
le  roads  hsive  not 
liscnssion  of  this 
will  not  now  be 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKK    COM.MERCE.  W: 

foliowiiig  table,  covering  the  movement  of  wheat  through  the  8t.  Maiy» 
Falls  (Jaiial: 

Morenieiit  of  wlitfil. 

|(UOuiiiiti<'il.| 


M"^ 7'»  i;.M,.ii.i«.ii 


St.  MiiijB 
KuIImChiiiiI. 


Hiitlieh 

IHSll '-MOII 

IHH'.' ;i.7'.'ll 

1MH4  1I.»H8 

18811 \ii  ua\ 

1888 IS.BlHi 

1M»0 l>i,'.'17 


Vciir. 


uiiil  Krir. 


SI    .MalVH 
KiiIImCiiiiuI. 


Ill  Krit". 


/(„.,/„/».  Itlishtll. 

44,477       18111 ;m,817 

27.  tlWI       180C 40.  Ot'O 

:t4,  (iii'J     i(t'i;i 4;i,  482 

4-.'.5T.-.       18114 :W.8«9 

27,8tM       I8»S 46.JI8 

2r..o:i4       l8Bti «:i.2!M) 


8:i,74» 
nil.  (183 
7l..t78 
I'i.  4no 

411.  0»» 
IK).  11.14 


By  the  above  table  it  appears  that  the  movement  of  wiieat  through 
the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  now  just  about  eipials  the  combined  receipts 
of  the  two  juominent  lower  lake  ports — Hntt'iilo  and  Krie.  Were  the 
receipts  of  the  lower  lake  ports  no  larger  than  the  shipments  from 
the  lake  ports  other  than  those  of  Lake  Superior  the  receipts  of  the 
selected  Atlantic  ])orts  would  have  nmch  more  than  held  their  own  with 
the  receipts  of  Buffalo  and  Erie.  A  (comparison  up<m  this  basis  would 
be  worthless,  however,  becnuse  the  whole  situation  has  clianged.  That 
the  railroads  aie  less  able  to  compete  with  the  lake  route  than  formerly 
can  not  be  inferred  from  a  comparison  of  the  receipts  of  the  lower  lake 
ports  and  of  the  Atlantic  ports,  for  the  railroads  never  were  competitors 
for  the  traltie  of  the  far  otf  region  which  now  produces  the  bulk  of  our 
surplus  wheat.  The  existing  status  of  the  struggle  between  the  rail- 
road and  the  water  lines  will  not  be  discussed  further  at  this  point. 

The  statistics  for  the  tiansportati<m  of  tlour  show  that  the  movement 
of  this  commodity  very  much  resembles  that  of  wheat.  For  the  first 
three  years  (18(58-1870)  of  the  period  under  consideration  the  receipts 
at  Buffalo  and  Erie  were  about  one-fifth  of  those  at  the  selected  Atlantic 
ports.  Then  for  several  years,  but  not  without  occasional  setbacks,  the 
receipts  at  the  seaboard  ports  gained  on  the  receipts  of  the  lower  lake 
ports,  nntil  in  1877  the  receipts  of  the  former  ports  were  more  than  ten 
times  as  large  as  those  of  the  latter.  After  1877  there  was  a  reverse  move- 
ment, and  in  1883  this  had  gone  so  far  that  the  relations  which  obtained 
at  the  outset  were  about  restored.  During  the  next  two  years  there 
was  practically  no  change,  but  in  1880  the  lake  ports  made  a  decided 
gain  upon  the  seaboard  ports,  and  in  1889  increased  this  gain  so  much 
that  the  receipts  of  the  lake  ports  were  more  than  one-half  as  large  as 
those  of  the  seaboard  porta.  Since  1880  there  has  been  no  change  of 
note.  The  yearly  alterations  which  took  place  are  shown  in  Appendix 
II,  Table  V,  I'art  I. 

A  strong  resemblance  in  the  movement  of  flour  and  of  wheat  will  V)e 
noticed  on  comparing  the  figures  (in  the  Appendix)  covering  the  move- 
ment of  flour  with  those  presenting  the  movement  of  wheat.  The  gen- 
eral tendencies  have  been  in  the  same  direction,  but  the  movement  has 
not  proceeded  so  far  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other.  The  shifting  of 
the  surplus  wheat  producing  districts  has  been  accompanied  by  a  cor- 
respondinu  movement  of  the  great  milling  centers.  From  1878  Minne- 
apolis has,  with  but  few  interruptions,  steadily  increased  her  output  of 
flour,  reaching  the  enormous  total  of  12,874,890  barrels  in  1896.    At  the 


44 


STATIHTICS    OK    LAKK    COMMKIUK. 


ln'a<l  «»f'  LaUt' 8iiitt'iiur,  'ii  tlu'  <-iti«'«nf  Dulutli  iiiul  \V«'.st  Hu|MMi(>r,  tlmr«', 
liiis  ifcciitly  spiiiiif;  ii|   aiiotlin  iiiiportaiit  milling;' foiitei.' 

An  tin-  inilliii!;'  iiHliisii.v  lias  in  a  lai;;('  measure  folldwwl  tlic  \vlit>at- 
/iinwiii^j  ii'fiioii  wj'stwiinl  aixl  mntliward,  it  IdllKws  tiiat  th«'  iaiii's  are 
iinw  ill  a  iiiorc  lavorahl**  ])(isitioii  lor  <'(>iii|ic'tiii<;  tor  tiielloiir  trallic  Mian 
(ornM'i  ly.  That  a  laifi*'  portion  of  tiic  iiicn'ascd  receipts  of  lliitlalo  and 
Jh'ie  (.rininate  in  I  lie  N(»itli\vest  is  evidenced  by  the  statistics  of  the  tlour 
moved  tiroiiuli  the  St.  Marys  Kails  Caiial.^ 

The  sliiiimeiits  t'roiii  .Minneajiolis  by  the  IMiiineapolis.  St.  I'aiil  and 
Saiilt  Ste.  Marie  Railroad  Imve  t\\v  same  elVect,  since  the  bulk  of  the 
(lour  carried  by  this  road  is  transshipped  to  hike  vessels  at  (ilads  tone,  a 
port  on  the  northern  shore  of  Lake  !\Iichi<;an. 

It  appears,  then,  that  the  shipinents  of  Hour  through  the  St.  Marys 
l''all8  Canal,  i)liis  the  shipments  of  Hour  from  Minneapolis  by  the  Min- 
neapolis. St.  i'aiiland  Sault  Ste.  Marie  Railroad,  are  now  about  as  large 
as  the  total  receipts  ol  IliifValo  and  lliie.  For  1S!>.")  the  Ibrmer  were 
actually  larjierthan  the  hitter.'    This  brinjfs  us  to  the  main  consitlera- 


I'hc  Hiilijoinril  tulilc  will  hIiow  the  tli'vi'lopinent  of  tlu'so  two  iiiillliiK  (liHtricts. 

.tinnitil  proiliiflioii  {iKiirrh). 

iuOO  uiiiiltud.l 


1H7«. 
IHHII. 
IMMa  . 

1H8H  . 
1K8!I. 


Tear. 


I  Mlnneapo- 


li«.a 


Diiliith.ti 


041  i IHllll. 

•2.i)r,2  iHni  . 

;),  17B  IHO-J. 

5.;ii8  i8»;i. 

(1,1(W  181t4. 

7.(1."  IHK.J  . 

U,  U8il  M  18116. 


Tear. 


Miiiiii'iiiiii- 
Uii.a 


e,B8Q 

7,878 
9.  75(1 
l),;i78 

e.  4U1 

lU,  581; 

r.',  87.". 


Ddhali  7< 


4:11 
(17:) 

I .  UII4 

87(1 

01 H 

(•2,1178 


oKi'liorlK  of  till'  'Iriidc'  iiiiil  ("oimmTcp.  of  MliiniMi|i(ili8. 
/)  l!('licirtM  cif  the  'rriiili'  iiiid  ('oniiiicriio  of  DLilntli. 

I'Tlli'  nH(|«lll  of  tllr  Dlllntll  llllcl  Wr.U  .Sll|Hrl(l|-  lllill.4. 

(/Fldiiiiiiiiiiirnrdin'il  at  tin-    "  lli'iid  of  tin'  hiiki'S.  '     (Uivlew  of  tlio  Trailu  iilid  (Joiiliiieri'n  of  Dilllltli, 
roiii)ii1i'd  li.v  (III'  iMiliilli  I 'liaiiilii'i' III'  I'oinint'rci'.l 

■  Mofi  ment  of  Hour  {harifh). 

[000  OMiitt(3d.] 


It 


Veai'. 


I  TlirouBli 
tliv  I'liniil.rf 


Ki'iini  Miii- 

ll<'U|loliH,  liv 

MiiMii'>i|io- 
liH,  St  Plllll 
iiiiil  Saiilt 
St«.  Miu'lo 
K.  HO 


Tear. 


1880. 

188:; . 

1884  . 
188(i  . 
1888  . 
1890. 


524 
:i44 
1,218 
1,7.'>'.) 
2.  1111 
a,  239 


I,:i68 


1891  . 

1892  . 
189:)  . 
1894  . 
189.1  . 
I89ti. 


1 


'rlilull);ll 
tliK  i^aiiiil.a 


3,780 

.5,418 
7,421 
8,  wm 
8, 90'> 
S,  883 


From  Mill- 

IK'IIIIoli.'i.  bj' 

Minui'upo- 

liH.  St.I'lllll 

and  Siiiilt 

Ste.  Miirii' 

K.  11.0 


1.201 
1,684 
1,720 
1,458 
2,111 
2.420 


nStateineni  of  the  oomiiiercp  thronsh  the  St.  Mar.vs  Fnll8  Cunal,  u  doiMiineut .prepared  b.v  Mr.  E.  S. 
Wlioelt  T.  till'  (JiiveniiiKMit  ollirrr  ill  iliai'ne  of  llie  ('liiial. 
/i Ki'lHiita  iif  the  (Jliaiiibcr  of  1  loiiiiiicrce  of  MliineapoliB. 

■'This  fact  does  not,  liowevcr,  throw  (lisRredit  ujiou  the  mi'tliod  of  a])pr(iaRhiiig 
the  ])rolil('iii  ol'  the  gciienil  I'iistward  inovfiiient  of  the  several  coiiiniodities  under 
iiivestijiatiou,  for  the  total  Bhiimieiits  of  Hour  from  Miiiiieupolisliy  the  "Soo"'  Rail- 
road are  not  transHliipped  to  lake  v'essels.  And  the  receipts  at  liutt'alo  and  Erie  do 
not  represent  the  total  receipts  of  the  lower  lake  ports  as  fully  as  the  shipinents 
throuf{h  till'  "Soo"  Canal,  phis  the  shipinents  over  tht^  "Soo"  Haihoad,  represent  the 
shipnn-nts  from  the  ui)iH'r  lake  ports.  It  should  also  be  reineiubercd  that  at  the  out- 
set I  discliiiineu  all  intentions  of  making  au  exact  uiathematical  demonstration. 


111.1-1  114  I  .I.".'."-!.*.  »»^WJjMJJIiai.*iJW91'*^'t'i«JJ^''! 


^iilM'iior,  tluMc 

vil  tlio  wheat- 
t  the  lakes  are 
iir  trallic  tliaii 
of  Itiitlalo  and 
icNcdtlio  Hour 

Ht.  Paul  aiitl 
li«-  l*ulk  ot  tlie 
t  (iladntoiie,  a 

the  St.  Marys 

s  by  t\w  .Miii- 

iihoiit  as  larjjo 

le  loiiiu'r  were 

lain  consideru- 

lliii^  ilistrii'ts. 


llliciltin- 

IJu 

u\UI, 

6,089 

4:11 

7.  H78 

673 

It.  7511 

l,UU4 

U,  ;i7H 

87(1 

0.401 

HI  8 

lu.  nn:' 

(•2,078 

rj,  K7.'i 

<r.i.\-2i> 

.'oiiiini'rcc  (if  Diiliiili, 


I  Fr<iiii  Mill- 
Ini'njioli.s,  by 

and  Minlt 

I  8t«.  Marie 

1!.  It.^ 


3,  780 
5,418 

7,  4L'l 

8,  IMUI 
8,  O0-2 
.S,  88:1 


1.201 
l,ti84 
1,720 
1,458 
2,111 
2,420 


opureil  by  Mr.  E.  S. 


of  a])pr(ia(!hing 
nniodities  under 
the  '-Soo''  Rail- 
fttlo  mid  Krie  do 
H  the  shipments 
ad,  represent  the 
Itbiitatthe  oiit- 
muustration. 


HTATKSTICS    OF    L\KK   CO.M.MKHCK. 


45 


tion.  We  lin<l  in  tho  t-a-sc  of  Hour,  as  in  tlu'  case  of  wlieiit,  tliut  tli«^  sliift- 
ini;  of  the  idact's  of  production  has  put  tlut  water  carritMs  in  ii  more 
fiivoraldc  position  to  meet  ttie  competition  of  ilie  railroads.  'I  he  lake 
carriers  are  no  ionfji-r  handicapped  by  an  ext'essively  <'irinitons  ronte.' 

In  striking  contrast  with  llie  niovenient  of  wheat  and  its  manut'ac- 
ture(|  ]irndin-t,tlonr,  is  the  eastward  nntveinent  of  corn.  It  appears  from 
Aftpendix  11.  Tald*^  V,  I'art  ll.showiiifi  the  receipts  of  the  selected 
hike  and  seaboard  ports,  that  the  receipts  of  these  two  };roiips  of  ports, 
altliou^h  they  have  varie«l  ^^rt>atly  diirin<;  tiie  period  under  consid(>ru 
tion,  have  moved  to;;cther  and  at  about  the  name  rate,  i'roiii  JStiH  to 
187<i  the  lake  receipts  were  about  one  half  as  lar^e  as  those  of  the  s«'a- 
board,  tlu-n  for  half  ado/en  years  the  .seaboard  receipts  (gained  .some- 
wliat  upon  the  receipts  of  the  lake  ports.  The  year  l^sj  was,  in  .some 
reape(!ts,  anomalous.  Tin- receipts  of  the  lake  ports  alnmst  equaled  those 
of  the  seaboard  ))orts,  the  tbrnier  bein^;  a  little  more  than  L'l,(>0(l,()(M) 
bushels  and  the  lattei'  .sonsewhat  nune  than  2f<,(l(K>,(MM».^ 

For  the  next  tour  years  there  were  wide  variations,  and  Iron  tlu'ii 
(1887)  the  lake  receipts,  with  the  ex<reption  «.*'  18!tL',  were  some  v hat 
more  than  one  half  us  lar{{e  as  those  of  the  sen' nard  eceipts.  1  fining 
18S)6  the  Heal)oard  ie»!eipts  were  more  than  (i  mble  f'lose  »!'  the  lake 
ports,  the  former  beiufr  li;J..">  million  and  the  latter  but  a-M  niillloTi 
bushels. 

The  eastward  movement  of  corn  thus  stands  o-r  in  str  nn'  contrast 
with  that  of  wheat  and  Hour.  In  our  investigation  of  thete  breads)  ufs 
we  found  that  after  the  opening  of  the  eighties  the  trausportatio'  if 
these  commodities  by  water  gained  very  raphlly  upon  the  mo  « .1  ent 
by  land,  and  that  at  the  close  of  the  period  tiie  qiumtities  recei  .ed  at 
Buffalo  and  Krie  by  water  were  practically  eipial  to  t'».  -uvl  quanti- 
ties received  at  the  leading  seaboard  cities.  The  exp mat 'mi  of  this 
divergence  of  tendencies  is  not  far  to  .seek.  It  is  fouim  in  tlie  fact  that 
the  shifting  of  the  surjilus  corn  iirodu«!i''.T  region  has  been  westward, 
and  not  northward  as  well  as  westward;  it  has  been  along  the  parallels. 
Our  surjilus  wheat,  as  was  seen,  is  now  largely  grown  in  tie  far  North- 
west— in  Minnesota  and  in  the  IJakotas.  The  great  wheat  helds  are 
now  back  of  Lake  Superior,  and  thus  in  a  fav»)rable  position  for  the 
movement  by  lake  of  the  crops  gathered  from  them.  These  States 
have  thus  far  produced  but  little  suri)lu8  corn,  and  will  jirobably  never 
produce  much,  as  they  lie  almost  wholly  without  the  corn  belt.  In  the 
southern  portions  of  Minnesota  and  South  Dakota  corn  can  be  grown 
successfully,  but  these  areas  are  limited  in  extent.  The  great  surplus 
corn  region  now  lies  to  the  west  and  southwest  of  the  southern  portion 
of  Lake  Michigan,'  falling  within  the  States  of  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri, 
Kansas,  and  J^ebraska,  and,  as  a  consequc:  ^ '.  if  corn  is  to  go  by  water 
to  the  Bast  it  must  be  carried  from  the  ;  fcs  at  the  head  of  Lake 
Michigan  on  the  circuitous  journey  around  tlie  lower  peninsula  of  Michi- 
gan. The  advantages  of  the  rail  lines  running  to  the  Atlantic  ports 
in  point  of  distance  will  not  be  further  discussed,  as  this  matter  has 
already  been  dwelt  upon. 

As  the  surplus  corn  produciv.g  regions  now  lie  to  the  southwest  of 
the  head  of  Lake  Michigan  rather  than  directly  to  the  west  of  it,  there 

'For  qualificatious,  see  t.  ite  on  page  42. 

'  The  receipts  of  this  year  were  far  below  the  normal,  and  in  this  faot  is  to  be  found 
the  explanation  of  the  variation  of  the  relation.  .Junt  why  a  siuiill  movement  should 
affect  the  seaboard  receipts  more  than  the  lake  receipts  will  bo  shown  later. 

^This  is  very  clearly  shown  by  Crop  Map  No.  9,  Eleventh  Census:  Statistics  of 
Agriculture. 


46 


STATIBTICS    OK    LAKK    COArMERCP:. 


,V '^  V, 


liiis  been  a  very  decided  teiideii(;y  to  ship  corn  for  export  i>y  tlie  all-ruil 
lines  totlie  south  Atlantic  ports,  notably  Baltimore,  I'hiladelphia,  New- 
port News,  and  Norfolk.  !Shi|nneiits  by  the  iill-rail  routes  totiiese  ports 
will  i)rol»al)ly  increase.  The  distances  lrt»m  the  corn  jj:rowing  districts 
to  the  south  Atlantic  ports  are  less  than  to  the  north  Atlantic  ports. 
There  is  anotiier  reason,  and  a  mnrh  weightier  one,  for  the  nioveinejit  to 
the  southern  ]»orts  from  Chicago.  Philadelphia  lias  a  differential  rate 
in  its  favor  of  li  cents,  and  the  otiier  ports  one  ni'li  cents  per  1(H»  pounds 
as  (;oinpared  with  New  Vork.  W  hen  these  ditt'erentials  were  agreed 
upon,  April  .">,  1S77,  they  were  given  to  Southern  ports  to  offset  the 
advantage  New  York  possessed  in  the  inattcM-  of  ocean  rates.' 

Since  1877,  however,  the  situation  has  radically  changed.  New  York 
has,  in  good  i>art,  lost  the  advantage  she  tlien  possessed  in  the  item  of 
ocean  rates,  and  thus  the  reason  for  the  existence  of  these  differentials 
has  disappeared.  The  differentials,  however,  not  only  remain,  but  have 
bec()nie  much  niore  effective  than  when  adopted.  Nominally  the  differ- 
entials remain  as  they  were  fixed  in  1S77,  but  really  they  are  much 
higher  than  they  were  then.  This  is  true  because  the  rates  have  fallen 
very  decidedly,  while  the  differentials  have  remained  absolutely  sta- 
tionary. Had  the  differentials  been  fixed  upon  a  sliding  scale,  falling 
as  the  rates  fell,  the  Southern  i)orts  would  not  have  the  advantage 
which  they  lutw  possess.  What  irdght  have  been  easily  arranged  in 
1.S77  can  now  be  brought  about  only  by  a  serious  struggle,  and  one  which 
the  Nortiiern  trunk  lines  are  not  likely  to  make.  The  grain  traffic  is  an 
important  item  to  the  Southern  roads,  and  they  will  wagie  a  desperate 
struggle  to  retain  it.  This  is  fully  recognized  by  the  more  i)rosperous 
Northern  roads,  which  have  a  more  profitable  miscellaneous  business. 
We  have  here  a  case  of  a  wide  difference  in  marginal  utility  of  a  certain 
traffic  to  two  different  sets  of  roads.  The  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  the 
Chesai»eake  and  Ohio,  and  the  Noifolk  and  Western — roads  hungry  for 
traffic — set  a  much  higher  value  upon  the  traffic  in  corn,  which  at  best 
yields  but  a  small  profit,  thati  do  the  New  York  Central  and  Pennsyl 
vania  roads,  whose  terminal  yards  are  already  crowded  and  can  only 
be  enlarged  at  a  great  outlay  of  mo?iey. 

As  these  Southern  roads  also  tap  the  territory  to  the  south  and  west 
of  Chicago,  it  may  be  expected  that  they  will  also,  to  an  increasing 
extent,  divert  grain  directly  to  the  Southern  ports,  instead  of  permitting 
it  first  to  go  to  Chicago  and  then  to  take  it  to  those  ports.  A  large 
portion  of  the  surplus  corn  being  produced  in  the  territory  to  the 
south  of  Chicago,  this  diversion  may  seriously  affect  the  corn  trade  of 
this  city. 

The  table  covering  oats  shows  that  its  eastward  movement  differs 
widely  from  that  of  each  of  the  other  commodities  considered.  For  the 
lirst  four  years  ot  the  period  under  investigation,  namely,  18G8  to  1872, 
the  receipts  by  lake  at  Buffalo  and  Erie  were  almost  equal  to  one-half 
the  receipts  of  the  eight  selected  Atlantic  ports,  the  former  being  33,8 
million  and  the  latter  68.r»  million  bushels.  Beginning  with  the  year 
1872  the  receipts  of  the  lower  lake  ports  not  only  declined  relatively, 
but  even  absolutely,  and  in  the  year  1880  reached  the  very  small  aggre- 
gate of  l,(iu4,3o(>  bushels.  For  the  next  four  years  the  receipts  were 
somewhat  larger,  but  in  1885  they  again  fell  very  low,  being  less  than 
the  small  amount  received  in  1880.  The  receipts  at  the  Atlantic  ports, 
on  the  other  hand,  steadily  ro°.e  Trom  23.7  millions  in  18S0  to  40.4  mil- 
lions of  bushels  in  1885.    in  1886  the  lake  receipts  increased  slightly, 

'  Procoodings  of  the  itpecial  comiiiittee  on  railroads  appointed  under  a  resolution 
of  the  New  York  assembl}'  to  investigitte  alleged  abuses  in  the  uianagenieut  of  rnil- 
roads  chartered  by  the  State  of  New  York,  1879,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  3041, 3042. 


(ort  1)3'  tlie  all-rail 
liihuU'Jpliia,  New- 
ites  to  tiiese  ports 
iJfrowiiig  districts 
til  Atlantic  i)ort8. 
the  movciiie.iit  to 

I  (littbreiitial  rate 
s  per  1(U>  poiuids 
iais  were  agreed 

)rta  to  otl'set  the 

II  rates.' 

ifted.     New  i'orlt 

sed  in  tiie  item  of 

hese  ditlereutials 

reiiuiiii,  but  liave 

iiiiiially  theditfer- 

ly  they  are  much 

rates  have  fallen 

m1  absolutely  sta- 

dinj;  scale,  falling 

ve  the  advantage 

asily  arranged  in 

gle,  and  one  which 

grain  tratfic  is  an 

wage  a  desperate 

3  more  prosperous 

ilaiieoHS  business. 

utility  of  a  certain 

ore  and  Ohio,  the 

-roads  hungry  for 

orn,  whicii  at  best 

tral  and  Pennsyl 

(led  and  can  only 

lie  south  and  west 
to  an  increasing 
tead  of  nermitting 
!e  ports.  A  large 
)  territory  to  the 
the  corn  trade  of 

movement  differs 
isidered.  For  the 
oely,  18G8  tol872, 
t  equal  to  one-half 
former  being  33.8 
dug  with  the  year 
eclined  relatively, 
I  very  small  aggre- 
the  receipts  were 
V,  being  less  than 
be  Atlantic  ports, 
a  18S0  to  40.4  mil- 
ncreased  slightly, 

i  under  a  resolution 
uianagenient  of  rail- 
041, 3042. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMKKCE. 


m 


and  those  of  the  seaboard  ports  fell  off  somewliat.  Since  l.S8(i  tiie 
receipfs  of  the  lake  ports  have  grown  much  more  rajtidly  tiian  those  of 
the  Atlantic  ports,  the  receipts  of  tlie  former  i)orts  for  181U5  being  4(>.ij 
million  and  tliose  of  the  latter  78.t>  million  busliels. 

Wliile  investigating  the  transportation  ot'  wlieat  and  (!orii,  it  was 
found  that  the  shifting  of  the  great  producing  areas  was  a  factor  of  prime 
importance  in  determiuing  tlie  route  by  which  the  crops  would  go  to 
market.  In  the  case  of  oats,  the  movement  was  very  largely  westward 
and  but  slightly  northward;  so  the  situation  lias  not  been  so  greatly 
changed  as  in  the  case  of  wheat.  Mostid  the  surplus  oats  is  now  grown 
in  territory  directly  west  of  Chicago.  There  has  been,  however,  some- 
thing of  a  nortiiward  movement  of  the  o  its-growing  districts,  an<l  the 
shipnuiiita  by  the  northern  routes — by  lake  I'lom  the  head  of  Lake  Supe- 
rior and  by  the  Miuneai)olis,  St.  I'aul  and  Sault  Ste.  Marie  Uiiilroad — 
have  increased  very  rapidly,  and  in  a  measure  e.\])lained  the  unusually 
large  receii>ts  at  Hutfah*  and  Erie  in  I.s;t6.  It  may  be  expected  that 
ahii)ments  over  the  nortiieru  lines  will  increase  larg«'ly,  and  therefore 
Chicago  may  lose  the  prominent  position  siie  has  so  long  maintained  in 
the  handling  of  this  grain. 

It  has  now  been  shown  to  what  extent  the  railroads  encroached  ujxtn 
the  Hour  and  grain  traffic  once  monopolized  by  the  lakes,  the  causes 
have  been  briefly  dwelt  upon  whicii  enabled  the  railroads  to  make  these 
inroads,  and  the  |)eriods  have  been  given  when  the  gi-eatest  imiursions 
were  made.  Attention  was  also  directed  to  the  fact  that  since  the  mid- 
dle of  the  last  decade  the  lake  carriers  have  regained  much  of  the  (raf- 
fle lost  in  the  earlier  years.  Hut  this  was  not  fully  explained;  in  jiart 
it  was  shown  to  be  due  to  the  shifting  ot  the  surjilus  grain  lu'oducing 
regions.  But  nothing  in  the  way  of  an  explanation  was  attempted  of 
the  fact  that  the  lake  carriers  had  been  more  successful  in  their  strug- 
gle with  the  railroads  for  traffic  from  the  ohl  competitive  points,  such  as 
Chicago  and  Milwaukee.  This  was  done  designedly,  as  it  was  thought 
best  to  postpone  examination  of  this  matter  until  this  stage  of  this  dis- 
cussion had  been  reached. 

Antiquated  methods  of  doing  business  prevailed  on  the  lakes  until 
the  middle  of  the  last  decade.  It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  there 
had  been  no  progress  in  any  of  the  departments  of  lake  transportation, 
for  such  was  not  the  case.  Upon  the  whole,  however,  lak(5  transjiorta- 
tion  had  not  availed  itself  of  the  advances  made  in  science  and  the 
mecdianical  arts.  The  railroads,  on  the  other  hand,  had  been  alert  to 
introduce  one  improvement  on  the  heels  (»f  another.  For  example, 
the  railroads  had  profited  fully  a  decade  and  a  half  by  the  series  of 
inventions  which  resulted  in  cheap  steel  before  the  lake  carriers  began 
to  use  steel  to  any  appreciable  extent.  Methods  of  doing  business  ou 
the  lakes  were  also  out  of  date;  modern  methods  have  only  recently 
been  introduced.  It  took  the  lake  carriers  a  decade  to  realize  that  the 
railroads  had  become  worthy  competitors.  No  attempt  will  be  made  to 
show  in  detail  the  revolution  that  has  taken  place  since  1885;  the 
improvements  will  be  discussed  in  their  proper  setting.  Suffice  it  to 
say  that  the  era  of  metal  ships  of  great  capacity  propelled  by  steam, 
Mid  dock  and  harbor  facilities  for  giving  these  vessels  dispatch  in  load- 
ing and  unloading  date  from  tliis  period.  It  is  needless  again  at  this 
point  to  dwell  upon  the  importance  of  proper  dock  facilities.  A  vessel 
in  port  is  not  performing  the  function  for  which  she  was  built — namely, 
carrying  freight — aad  therefore  earns  nothing.  It  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood that  there  was  a  great  and  sudden  improvement  in  lake  transpor- 
tation in  the  year  1886  and  that  as  a  result  the  lake  carriers  obtained  a 
much  larger  share  of  the  east-bound  traffic  than  in  1885.    The  improve' 


48 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKK    COMxMERCE. 


meiits  were  uot  far-reaching  enough  to  iiccount  for  the  change.  The 
sudden  success  ul"  tlie  hike  carriers  was  rather  due  to  the  termination, 
in  November,  l.SSr>,  of  a  ruinous  struggle  between  tlie  trunk  lines,  dur- 
ing wliidi  tlu'y  had  at  times  carried  goods  at  far  beU)W  remunerative 
rati'S. 

IV.— THE  TRAFFIC  THROU(iH   THF  (iULF  I'ORI'S. 

Not  only  have  the  east  and  west  trunk  lines  diverted  traffic  from  the 
lakes,  but  the  Mississippi  Uiver  and  the  railroads  leading  to  the  (Julf 
have  done  so  as  well.  This  southern  movement,  however,  never  assumed 
large  propcn-tions  until  the  year  ISIX'.,  and  for  this  year  the  growth  was 
largely  accounted  for  by  tiie  iiicreased  movement  of  corn.  Our  total 
exports  of  corn  last  year  having  been  unusually  large,  it  may  be  sup- 
posed that  the  sudden  prominence  of  the  Gulf  ports'  in  the  shipment 
of  grain  is  ephemeral.  But  such  a  view  is  hardly  .justifiable.  If  the 
Mississippi  River  were  the  oidy  competing  route  to  the  (xulf  ports,  the 
southern  route  wouhl  not  greatly  encroach  on  tiie  traffic  now  moving 
over  the  lakes  and  the  east  and  west  trunk  lines.  But  the  Mississippi 
is  no  longer  the  only  line  seriously  competing  with  the  great  east  and 
west  routes  to  the  Atlantic  ports. 

The  railroads  leading  to  the  Gulf  are  in  certain  sections  competing 
witii  the  great  east  and  west  routes.  As  regards  the  railroads  east  of 
the  Jlississippi  River,  this  is  especially  true  of  the  Illinois  Central, 
which  has  recently  completed  very  excellent  terminal  facilities  at  New 
Orleans  for  handling  grain.  The  small  export  movement  of  grain  via 
New  Orleans  in  past  years  has  been  largely  due  to  the  inadequate  ter- 
minal facilities  at  that  point.  Although  there  may  be  an  increased 
grain  traffic  over  the  Illinois  Central,  this  enlarged  business  will  not  to 
any  great  extent  be  at  the  expense  of  the  lake  route.  Grain  grown  in 
the  territory  but  a  short  distance  south  of  Chicago  and  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  does  not  go  east  over  the  lake  route,  for  this  is  ettectually 
])revented  by  the  high  local  rates  for  the  short  haul  to  the  lake  ports.  It 
need  hardlv  be  said  that  if  the  lakes  can  not  monopolize  the  tlour  and 
grain  traflic  from  points  situated  immediately  upon  the  lakes,  such  as 
Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  they  can  not  successfully  compete  for  the  ship- 
ment of  these  commodities  from  points  south  of  Chicago.  The  Senate 
select  committee,  appointed  in  1872  "to  investigate  and  report  upon  the 
subject  of  transportation  between  the  interior  and  the  seaboard,"  took 
theposition  that  "  the  railroad  interests  practically  control  the  transport 
of  grain  from  all  that  part  of  the  States  of  Illinois  and  Indiana  situated 
south  of  a  latitudinal  line  60  miles  south  of  Lake  Michigan."^ 

The  railroad  interests  here  referred  to  did  not  include  the  railroads 
running  to  the  Gulf,  but  merely  the  lines  running  to  the  seaboard.  The 
grain  produced  in  the  region  some  little  distance  south  of  Chicago  for 
the  most  part  has  been,  and  in  all  probability  will  continue  to  be,  carried 
to  the  Atlantic  ports.  Tl  railroads  leading  to  the  Gulf  have  no  advant- 
age over  some  of  those  running  to  the  Atlantic  in  point  of  distance ';  and, 


1  For  I  lie  exports  from  the  leading  two  Gulf  ports,  Now  Orleans  and  Galveston,  see 
Appendix  II,  Table  VI.  The  exports  rather  than  the  receipts  are  given,  because  the 
foruiiir  aione  represent  competitive  business.  ^    ^,      „     i        i 

^  Report  of  the  Select  Committee  on  TrauHportation  Routes  to  the  Seaboard,  page 
2i  (I^>rty-third  Congress,  first  session).     Mr.  Windoni  was  chairman  of  the  com- 

'Froin  Chicago  to  New  York,  912  miles;  from  Chicago  to  Philadelphia,  822  miles; 
from  Chicago  to  Baltimore,  802  miles;  from  Chicago  to  Newport  News,  896  miles; 
from  Chicago  to  New  Orleans,  926  miles.  (The  Railroad  Gazette,  quarto  vol.  xxix, 
No.  13,  p.  21.5.)  The  distance  to  New  Orleans  is  that  given  in  the  folder  of  the  IIU- 
nois  Central  Railroad,  and  is  the  distance  over  that  line. 


STATISTICS   OP   LAKE    COMMERCE. 


i9 


B  cliaiiye.  The 
iie  tei'iniiiiition, 
ruiik  lines,  <liir- 
w  reiuiiiu'iiitive 

IM'S. 

ti'iillic  from  tlie 
iiig-  to  the  (xnlf 
,  never  assumed 
tlie  growth  was 
orn.     Our  total 
it  may  be  sup- 
in  the  shipment 
tifiable.     If  the 
(xulf  ports,  the 
rtie  now  moving 
i  the  Mississippi 
e  great  east  and 

tions  competing 

railroads  east  of 

Illinois  Central, 

acilities  at  New 

ent  of  grain  via 

)  inadequate  ter- 

be  an  increased 

nness  will  not  to 

Grain  grown  in 

east  of  tlie  Mis- 

this  is  effectually 

le  lake  ports.    It 

ize  the  tiour  and 

lie  lakes,  such  as 

pete  for  the  sliip- 

?o.    The  Senate 

report  upon  the 

>  seaboard,"  took 
rol  the  transport 
[ndiaiia  situated 
ligan."- 

:de  the  railroads 

>  seaboard.  The 
1  of  Chicago  for 
me  to  be,  carried 

hayeno  advant- 
f distance'';  and, 

1  and  Galveston,  see 
I  given,  because  the 

the  Seal)oar(l,  page 
irniau  of  the  com- 

ulelphia,  822  miles; 
rt  News,  896  miles; 
e,  quarto  vol.  xxix, 
B  folder  of  the  lUi- 


as  ocean  freight  rates  to  European  ports  are  materially  higher  than  those 
from  Atlantic  ports,  and  as  the  Gulf  railroads  obtain  but  little  return 
freight,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  these  lines  are  going  to  draw  much  traffic 
in  the  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  north  of  St.  Louis  from 
the  northoi ':  f  I'unk  lines,  and  it  is  still  much  more  difficult  to  understand 
how  the  sontibouud  lines  will  encroach  upon  the  traffic  which  has 
gone  over  tne  lakes.  The  south-bound  lines  have  easy  grades  and  are 
not  troubled  with  snow  and  ice;  but  these  advantages  are  not  sufficient 
to  offset  the  disadvantages  under  which  they  operate. 

An  entirely  different  problem  is  presented  by  the  movement  of  Hour 
and  grain  from  the  regions  west  of  the  Mississippi.  In  this  territory 
the  railroads  leadin^jc  to  the  Gulf  will  probably  carry  a  great  deal  of 
grain  to  the  Gulf  ports  that  formerly  went  to  the  Atlantic  ports  over 
the  rail  and  lake  route  and  the  all-rail  lines.  Roughly  8])eaking,  the 
grain  grown  in  the  territory  iiortli  of  the  east-and-west  line  passing 
through  the  southern  boundary  of  Iowa  will  continue  to  go  over  the 
eastern  rail  and  water  line.  And  probably  the  grain  produced  in 
northeastern  Missouri  will  continue  to  move  over  the  old  routes.  On 
tlie  other  hand,  the  grain  grown  in  Missouri  south  of  the  Missouri 
Iliver  and  in  the  southern  halt  of  Kansas,  and  in  all  the  region  lying 
south  of  these  two  States,  will  probably  go,  if  intended  for  export,  by 
the  south-bound  lines  to  the  Gulf.  Between  these  two  regions  lies  a 
district  of  debatablje  territ<ny,  formed  of  the  northern  half  of  Kansas, 
the  southern  iiart  of  Nebraska,  the  extreme  southwestern  part  of  Iowa, 
and  of  northwestern  Missouri.  This  region  includes  muck  of  the  best 
agricultural,  laud  of  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  It 
may  therefore  be  expected  that  the  eastern  lines  will  not  relinquish  the 
traffic  of  this  territory  without  a  struggle. 

As  the  railroads  leading  to  the  Gulf  have  erected  or  are  erecting  ter- 
minal facilities  for  the  handling  of  grain  on  a  large  scale,  particularly 
at  their  southet-n  termini,  they  may  be  expected  to  wage  a  spirited  con- 
test for  the  traffic  of  the  disputed  territory,  and,  as  a  consequence,* 
grain  rates  to  the  Atlantic  Seaboard  and  to  the  Gulf  will  probably  fall 
in  the  near  future.  The  most  southern  of  the  east-and-west  trunk  lines 
of  the  Central  Traffic  Association  were  pressed  by  the  association  to 
maintain  rates,  and  as  a  result  they  saw  much  of  the  traffic  wliich  they 
at  one  time  handled  go  to  the  Gulf  by  the  river  and  rail  lines.  The 
southern  lines  of  the  Central  Traffic  Association  did  not  regard  this 
traffic  as  valuable  enough  to  warrant  them  in  breaking  loose  from  the 
association,  and  the  association  preferred  to  lose  some  traffic  to  the 
Gulf  lines  rather  than  reduce  rates  on  all  east  bound  grain  traffic  to 
such  a  point  as  would  prevent  grain  from  the  southern  limits  of  their 
territory  from  tiuding  an  outlet  through  the  Gulf  ports.  Although  the 
Central  Traffic  Association  viewed  with  equanimity  the  diversion  of  a 
portion  of  its  traffic  to  the  Gulf  ports,  it  does  not  follow  that  the  asso- 
ciation will  much  longer  permit  the  diversion  to  the  Gulf  ports  of  the 
traffic  originating  in  the  territory  which  has  supplied  the  railroads 
forming  the  association  with  much  of  their  east-bound  Ireight. 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  rail  and  water  lines  and  the  all-rail  lines 
to  the  Atlantic  Seaboard  have  regarded  themselves  as  the  natural  heirs 
to  the  whole  of  the  traffic  originating  in  or  destined  for  the  entire 
West.  To  the  lake  carriers  and  the  managers  of  the  east-and-west 
trunk  lines  the  westward  course  of  empire  has  always  presented  itself  as 
new  traffic  for  them.  For  many  years  there  was  an  increasing  tendency 
of  commerce  to  move  on  east-and-west  lines.  The  opening  of  the  Erie 
Oanal,  in  1825,  gave  the  first  decisive  impulse  to  commerce  to  move 
H.  Doc.  277 1 


50 


STATISTirS   or    LAKE   COMMEKCK. 


across  flie  country  instead  of  down  the  Oliio  and  Mississippi  rivers 
In  latefi-  years  tlie  cunstrnction  of  the  great  trunk  lines,  parallel  to  tli 
northpn  water  route  formed  by  the  Great  Lakes   and    Erie  Caiia 
strengthened  a  movement  which  had    already  become  firmly  estab 
lishew.    On  the  Atlantic  Seaboard,  New  York,  Boston,  and  Thiladel 
phia  liad  come  to  be  looked  iipon  as  the  natural  outlets  and  inlets  for 
the  commerce  of  the  whole  country;  and,  in  a  like  manner,  Chicago, 
by  reason  of  its  favored  position  on  the  lakes  and  its  excellent  rail- 
road facilities,  had  come  to  be  viewed  as  the  natural  distributing  and 
receiving  jjoint  for  the  entire  West. 

This  idea  that  Chicago  was  to  be  the  gateway  through  which  the 
commerce  to  and  from  the  West  would  move  received  a  severe  shock 
some  years  ago.  As  the  farmer  has  pushed  westward  and  still  farther 
westward,  it  has  become  easier  and  easier  to  make  a  flank  attack  upon 
the  old  lines  of  commerce.  This  has  been  rendered  doubly  easy  where 
the  new  regions  settled  have  been  either  north  or  p  >uth  of  the  grefit 
eastand -west  line  of  movement.  It  has  already  be  -hown  how,  with 
the  westward  and  northward  migration  of  the  wheat  fieldH,  the  wheat 
and  flour  trartic  avoided  Chicago  and  sought  the  more  northern  routes. 
Most  of  this  business  still  goes  through  our  chief  Atlantic  ports,  but 
with  the  rapid  enlargement  and  improvement  of  Canadian  transporta- 
tion facilities  now  in  progress  it  will  be  surjjrising  if  Canadian  ports, 
notably  Montreal,  do  not  secure  a  larger  portion  of  the  export  grain 
business. 

Let  us  now  return  to  the  movement  of  flour  and  grain  through  the 
Gulf  ports.  The  old  east-and-west  routes  have  recently  been  brought 
face  to  face  with  a  new  and  serious  situation  in  the  central  West  and 
Southwest.  The  lines  extending  northward  from  the  Gulf  are  not  dis- 
posed to  allow  the  east-and-west  lines  to  control  this  great  traffic  of 
the  transmississippi  region.  The  Gulf  roads  hold  that  the  central 
.West  and  Southwest  should  export  their  surplus  products  through  the 
Gulf  ports  and  receive  imports  through  the  same  cities.  This  proposi- 
tion is  nothing  short  of  revolutionary.  It  means  a  breaking  away 
from  the  old  channels  of  shipment  through  Chicago  and  New  York  and 
the  other  eastern  cities;  further,  it  means  that  the  northern  water 
route  and  the  eastern  trunk  lines  are  no  longer  to  be  the  dominant 
power  in  moving  the  prodw^ts  of  western  farms.  During  the  past  year 
the  railroads  running  to  the  Gulf  have  been  increased  in  number  by 
the  construction  of  the  short  line — the  Kansas  City,  Pittsburg  and  Gulf 
Railroad.'  This  line,  which  was  designed  to  make  Kansas  City  inde- 
pendent of  the  eastern  routes,  extends  from  Kansas  City  almost  due 
south  to  Port  Arthur  (Tex.),  at  the  head  of  Sabine  Lake,  an  arm  of  the 
Gulf.  In  the  contest  which  is  already  on  with  the  east-and-west  lines 
this  route  will  be  found  in  the  van.  The  distance  to  tidewater  from 
Kansas  City  is  much  less  by  the  Port  Arthur  route  than  by  the  eastern 
rail  routes,  and  therefore  very  much  less  than  by  the  way  of  the  Great 
Lakes.*  But  too  much  must  not  be  expected  from  this  route  simply  on 
the  ground  of  its  being  much  shorter  than  the  eastern  lines  to  tidewater. 


'  It  is  commonly  known  as  the  Port  Arthur  route. 

^The  following  table  of  short-line  rail  distances  from  Kansas  City  will  make  this 
clear : 


Miles. 

New  York 1,303 

Philiulolphia 1,228 

Baltimore 1.198 

(Mannfactarers'  Record,  February  19,  1897,  p 


MilM. 

Galveston 799 

Port  Arthur 767 


2.) 


y-I^Ji^it 


b^r.  Wf  *  -^* 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 


m 


jsissippi  rivers 
I,  pariillel  to  th 
nd    Erie  Caua 
le  tirmly  estab 
I,  and  I'liiladel 
ts  and  iulets  for 
laiiuer,  Chicago, 
i  excellent  rail- 
iistributiug  and 

oiigh  which  the 
a  severe  shock 
and  still  farther 
ink  attack  upon 
ubly  easy  where 
nth  of  the  great 
•hown  how,  with 
aeldi*,  the  wheat 
northern  routes, 
lautic  ports,  but 
idiau  transporta- 
Canadian  ports, 
the  export  grain 

•ain  through  the 
tly  been  brought 
entral  West  and 
Gulf  are  not  dis- 
3  great  traffic  of 
that  the  central 
ucts  through  the 
18.    This  proposi- 
fc  breaking  away 
id  New  York  and 
i  northern  water 
be  the  dominant 
•ing  the  past  year 
ed  in  number  by 
ittsburg  and  Gulf 
Kansas  City  inde- 
i  City  almost  due 
ke,  an  arm  of  the 
st-and-west  lines 
o  tidewater  from 
an  by  the  eastern 
way  of  the  Great 
is  route  simply  on 
lines  to  tidewater. 


It  need  hardly  be  said  that  cost  of  service  does  not  vary  as  the  dis- 
tance and  that  rates  are  not  fixed  on  a  mileage  basis.  ,E'*8y  .^^l^^^ 
straieht  tracks,  a  large  traffic  in  both  directions,  and  cheap  fuel  are 
jilTy  as  i-nportant  as  the  question  of  distance  So  far  as  the  hrstWj 
items  are  concerned,  the  I'ort  Arthur  route  will  compare  very  tavoraby 
wXanyot- the  Eastern  trunk  lines;  it  can  also  secure  fuel  as  cheaply 
Is  most  of  them.  In  the  remaining  point,  however,  the  Eastern  trunk 
iTnes  have  the  advantage.  Not  only  will  the  traffic  over  the  new  line 
brmmfhfess,  at  least  for  son.e  time,  than  over  the  Eastern  trunk  lines, 
£ut7  will  also  be  very  largely  m  one  direction  unless  this  particular 
railroad  is  more  successful  in  securing  north-bound  traffic  than  tl  e 
othe?  gulf  roads.  If  no  freight  can  be  found  for  the  cars  going  north, 
the  trSc  gohig  south  must  pay  the  cost,  not  only  of  its  own  movement, 
but  that  of  hauling  back  thi  empty  cars  as  well  It  °"^«*  ^«  ^dmi^ 
that  the  outlook  for  this  road's  securing  a  double  haul  is  better  than  that 
of  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  other  railroads  running  north  from  the  Gult. 
The  Port  Arthur  ^ute  passes  through  some  of  the  bes  timber  land  on 
the  continent,  and  it  may  therefore  confidently  expect  a  large  north- 

bmind  traffic  in  ties  and  lumber.    As  it  P^^^^.^.  *^'T^n\r  AsTd^e  ft om 
fields,  it  may  also  hope  to  move  large  quantities  of  coal.    Aside  tiom 
thSe  main  items,  the  managers  of  this  line  expect  to.hajil  a  portion  ^ 
the  imports  consumed  in  the  territory  tributary  to  their  railroad,  and 
also  hope  to  develop  a  considerable  traffic  in  early  truits  and  vegetables. 
But  even  supposing  that  the  Port  Arthur  route  can  haul  grain  from 
Kmisas  City  to  the  Gulf  for  less  than  the  east  and-west  roads  can 
Tarry  to  tie  Atlantic  seaboard,  can  this  line  develop  a   ^rge  export 
business?    Are  there   not  adverse   circumstances  which  will  fully 
counterbalance  the  advantage  of  a  low  rate  to  the  Gulf?     Will  not 
higher  ocean  rates  from  the  Gulf  ports  and  the  unfavorable  climate  of 
thfculf  reeion  prevent  the  growth  of  the  Southern  export  movement? 
In  answer  tTthraS  of  thesi  questions,  it  may  be  said  that  ocean  rates 
a?eTess  unftworable  from  the  Gulf  ports  now  than  they  weie  formerly 
and  that  as  the  amount  of  freight  which  is  being  offered  to  vessels  is 
hicreasing,  there  will  be  more  steamship  lines  to  Southern  ports  and 
rates  will  be  still  further  lowered.    The  second  question  «eem8  to  have 
hLn  answered  bv  the  facts.    The  large  amount  of  capital  that  has 
Sitty  been  inve^sted  in  Southern  termhials  for  handling  gram  by  per- 
sons familiar  with  the  climate  and  the  immense  movement  of  grain 
Sugh  Gulf  ports  during  the  year  1896  should  be  deemed  sufficient 
proof  that  the  climate  of  the  Gulf  does  not  rise  as  an  obstacle  t»  pre- 
sent the  development  of  an  export  trade  through  the  GuU  Ports.   How^ 
ever,  the  most  circumspect  persons  make  errors,  and  the  experience  of 
a  single  year  does  not  afford  a  sufficient  basis  for  a/ound  inference,  so 
perhaps  this  point  is  not  even  now  to  be  considered  as  definitively  set- 
tled in  the  affirmative. 


J  City  will  make  this 

Miles. 

799 

767 


■iOail 


m 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Appendix  IT. 

TABLKS  RELATING  TO  THE  FLOIR  AND  GRAIN  TRAFFIC. 

Tahi.e  I. 

Eleralor  charffes  at  Chicago  and  Buffalo  and  lakefreiyhu  ou  wheat  from  Vhica,io  to  Buffalo  . 

Klevator  cliargeH. 


Year. 


1870 

1871 

1872 

187;t 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

3878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

188C 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 


Ohlongo  I   Huffalo     Chicagu 
wheat  per  wheat  per       and 
busbel.a  I  biiBhol.&  !  Bulfalo. 


Oenti. 


Lake 

fr«lgUU, 
Cliicftgo 
tuButlal 


alo. 


2.00 
2.00 
2.00  i 

2.00     ; 

2.  00  1 
2.00  '■ 
1.26  I 
1.25 
1.25  ! 
1.25 
1.25  I 
1.25  ! 
1.25 
1.25  i 
1.25 
.75  ■• 
.75 
.78 
.75  ' 
.75 
.75  j 
.75  I 
.75  I 
.75  I 
.75  1 


Vents.    ; 

Oentt. 

Oents. 

1.25    ; 

5.88 

1.25    , 

7.62 

1.25 

3.25 

11.46 

1.25 

3.25 

7.6? 

1.25 

3.25 

4.03 

1.00 

3.00 

3.42 

1.00 

3.00 

2.90 

l.UO 

3.00 

3.72 

1.00 

2.25 

3.07 

1.00 

2. 25 

4.74 

1.00 

2.25 

5.76 

.875 

2. 125 

3.44 

.875 

2. 125 

2.50 

.876 

2. 125 

3.41 

.  87.1 

2. 125 

2.18 

.875 

2.125 

2.02 

.875 

2. 125 

8.68 

.875 

1.U25 

;             4.13 

.875 

1.625 

■            2.56 

.876 

1.625 

2.51 

.875 

1.625 

1.96 

.875 

1.625 

2. 38 

.875 

1.025 

2.19 

.875 

1.  625 

1.68 

.875 

1.G25 

1.27 

.875 

1.625 

1. 92 

.875 

1.625 

1.63 

i 

a  I'nblislied  rates;  from  10  to  20  duys'  storage  included. 

l'^^;n'&"u  orlolurB'4't^d  t:^A.i  tl,o  el-a,or  cUurgeB  hav^^^^^^^^  fallen  so  rapidly  as  the 
traiisportatlon  rates;  the  tenner  have  therefore  become  an  increasing  burden. 

Taule  II. 
Elevating  and  storage  rates  at  Buffalo. 
'  [InternalCommeroe,  1885,  p.  489.] 


Years. 


i    ,  ^    .r,!-         i  '  Number 

ICharge  to  Charge  to  ^f  days' 
1    grain.    |  vessels,     gtoiage. 


1855  and  1856  o. 
1867  to  1860  o... 

1861 

1862  to  1864  .... 
1865  and  1866... 
1867  and  1868... 

1869 

1870 

1871 


gral 

Genu. 
1 


1} 
1} 
li 

1 
1 


Cent. 


5 
5 
5 
6 
10 
20 
10 
10 
5 


Years. 


1 .1  Number 

Charge  to  Charge  to   -.fjavs' 


grain. 


Cents. 

el 

1 


1872  and  1873  b.. 

1874 

1875  and  1876  b . . 

1877 

18786 
1879  6 

18806  and ... 

18826 di 

1883  and  1884 .|        I 


11881....;      |tO( 


vessels. 


Cent, 
i 


storage. 


5 
10 
5 
6 
6 
5 
5 
5 
6 


.Eetimated.    Elevators  running  wUd  greater  part  of^the  year.    No  record,  kept,  figures  obtained 
from  old  residents  in  the  grain  and  vessel  intereata. 
6  Running  wild  part  of  the  year, 
e  About. 
dAverage. 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE   OOMMERCK. 


68 


riJAFFIC. 


Chicai/o  to  Buffalo . 


Lake 

o    i 

Chloagu 

frBigUU, 
Cbivngo 

ler 
.6 

aud 
Bult'alo. 

toButtolo. 

, 

Oentt. 

Omts. 

■) 

5.88 

1 

7.62 

-> 

3.25 

11.46 

U.25 

7.6? 

A 

3.25 

4.03 

It 

U.OU 

3.42 

0 

3.00 

2.M 

lO 

3.00 

3.72 

n 

2.25 

3.07 

tn 

2.25 

4.74 

(1 

2.25 

5.76 

<75 

2. 123 

3.44 

m 

2. 125 

j            2.50 

ns 

2. 125 

3.41 

^75 

2. 125 

2.18 

^7f> 

2. 125 

2.02 

^Tf) 

2. 125 

3.68 

K7S 

1.  025 

4. 13 

R7f) 

1.625 

2.56 

R7{) 

1.625 

2.51 

R7B 

1.625 

1.96 

875 

1.625 

2.38 

875 

1.025 

2.19 

875 

1.  625 

1.68 

875 

1.025 

1.27 

875 

1.025 

1. 92 

875 

1.025 

1.63 

1 

t  fallen  so  rapidly  as  the 


.  L,  .   i  Number 

•eetoChargeto   „j days' 


vessels 


NOTK8  ON   TlIK   KOLLOWlNt*  TAIILES.  

they  really  were,  for  »''  ^^""'*''«',?'^,."^'|' \"  ,f„  Ti.'l  railroads      Receipts  of  llcnr  niul 

aasociation  cover  more  tlmn  halt  the 


liiinaio  wiin,  u..nD,,,.,  = T"!  „"i^i...  onnvnvinintBlv  correct  for  tlic  years  for  which 

Association,  and  pronounced  hy  hnn  anpiox  iinteiy  cone,  n     y   ^,  _  ^   ,^.  ^,_^ 

his  association  has  records.     The  records  ot  the  asi 

years  of  the  table. 

•"  Tabu   III. 


Kast-boiiiitl  ghiiments  of  flour  and  wheat  from  Chicago. 


[C.nU.ili-a  IVoni  diKii  fiiini.slied  l),v  (Jporgo 


F.  Stone,  .scoieHiry  "f  Cliiciigo  Board  of  Trade.] 


Year. 


Year  ciidiug  Uecoraber  .11— 

1800 

1801 

1802 

18«:) ; 

Year  ending  March  31— 

1804 

1805 

1800 -. 

1867 ••- 

1868 

1809 v:,v 

Yearfnding  December 31- 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 - 

1877 

1878 

1870 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 


Flour  (barrels). 
Lake.  Kail.  Total. 


Wheat  (bushels). 
Lake.  Rail.  Total. 


218,741  '        408,082 

54-J,927  1     1,001,018 

,1)57,803  !        072,901 


026,823  11,817,470 
1  544,545  15,1105,735 
l,730,7ti4      13,400,325 


377. 647 
730,  873 
176, 322 


12,19,5,123 
15,730,608 
13,641,647 


,  207, 343 
,  0:i4,793  i 

(WO,  350  ; 

481,491  ; 
0,J0,3fl7 
774,550  , 

574,393  i 
488,705  I 
223,4.57  I 
428,321  i 
55,5,152 
328,283 
236,591  : 
148,  779 
321, 048 
330,257  i 
527,873 
150,415  j 
792,764  I 
801, 099  I 
753,357  i 
652,373  I 
1,391,235  ' 
1,  544, 196  I 
1,711,370  ! 
1,811,467 
1,757,745 
1, 640, 738 
2,456,006 
1,471,060 
1,630,345 
791, 620 
1,006,951 
1,060,734 


270,  855 

208, 747 

721,008 

1,585,770 

1,187,  .182 

1,749,973  ; 

989,160 
094,274  I 
1,022,968  ' 
1, 773, 467 
1,672,037 
1,872,943 
2,309,530  : 
2,229,720 
2,371,623  1 
2,675,402  ! 
2,264,886  1 
4,235,559  ! 
2,  887, 603  i 
3,067,276  ' 
3,930,576 
4,450,0.51 
2,244,376 
4,682,546 
3, 613,  922 
1,961,274 
2,172,761 
2,244,280 
3, 123, 663 
2,493,206 
1, 926, 285 
1,597,496 
1, 666, 730 
1, 557, 342 


1,  478,  W8 
1,243,540 
1,307,424 
2, 007,  207 

1,  837.  949 

2,  524,  520  ' 

1,503,  .553 
1, 182,  979 
1,240,425 
2,201,788 
2, 227, 189 
2,201,226  ; 
2,546,121  ; 
2,  378,  508  ; 
2,693,271  I 
3,005,059  I 
2,  792, 759 
4, 394, 974 
3, 680,  367 
3, 868, 374 
4, 683, 933 
5,103,424 
I  3,636,611 
6,226,742 
6, 325, 292 
3,762,741 
3, 930, 606 
3, 885, 018 
5,  678, 669 
3,964,266 
3, 656, 630 
2, 389, 115 
2,673,890 
2,618,076 


10,640,052 
9,  983,  507 
0,502,575  , 
5,  827, 84tl 
8,  492, 187 
a,  890, 047 

13,  429,  009 
12,120,923  , 
8,  831, 870 
15.  528,  984 
16, 974, 149 
1  10,001,054 
;  7, 390,  869 
1  10,345,983 
i  12,903,481 
i  17,622.796 
16,685,046 
7,688,072 
i  14,944,258 
!  7,067,657 
11,518,884 
5, 436, 461 
10,613,126 
17, 313,  361 
5,895,379 
10,330,676 
6,966,834 
31, 102, 888 
33, 498, 647 
19,720,776 
15, 016, 804 
13,268,440 
13,232,818 
18,449,628 


39,768 
114,075 
1,147,510 
3,005,018  ', 
1,072,078 
2,114,300 

2,621,099 
570,048 
2,  363, 810 
8, 140,  209 
9,725,251  ; 
5,9.50,609  ; 
,5,378,792 
2,9,")7,250 
10,018,880 
12,  232,  323 
4, 742,  343 
7,728.124 
2, 920, 5'J6 
2,696,071 
6,  322, 493 
5,496,544 
2, 462, 918 
6, 893, 504 
3,998,998 
4, 814, 978 
2,953,826 
5,470,333 
6,792,284 
;  2,618,327 
'   940,202 
i  5,666,397 
;  9,846,117 
6,611,774 


10, 085,  820 

10.  007,  642 

7, 650,  085 

9, 433,  464 

9, 504, 265 

11,010,947 

16,  050,  768 
12, 607,  571 
11, 195,  680 
23, 678, 193 
26, 609, 400 
22, 017, 663 
12, 775, 161 
13, 303, 233 
22, 922,  361 
29, 855. 119 
21,427.389 
15,410,196 
17, 804,  784 
9,703,728 
17,841,377 
■  10, 933, 006 
12,976,044 
24, 206, 866 
9, 894, 377 
16, 145, 663 
9,910,660 
36, 673, 221 
40, 290, 831 
22,339,103 
15,»57,00« 
18,926,437 
i  23,077,986 
23,961,402 


I 


54 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 

EaHt-boimd  nhiimenh  of  corn  and  oaUfiom  Chicago. 
IComplli-d  from  lUtii  fiirnlibad  by  George  F.  Stone,  »e«retary  Cbl(a«o  Boanl  ol'  Trade 

I  OatH  (busheli). 


Corn  (buihoU). 


ITMF. 


Uk: 


Tear  ending  December  ai— 

18(10 i8,oo:i,04:i 

1881 23,987,240 

1862 !».  '•;■««,  «77 

Year  ending  Mareb  31— 

1884..... 24,749,400 

1865  ll,l«»8,475 

1888 24,421,600 

1867 31,467,855 

1808 1»,  940, 172 

1869 21,671,071 

Year  ending  December  31—  ! 

1870 '  13,598,387 

1871  34,200,878 

1872     41,689,508 

1873 34,487,205 

1874 30,242,811 

1875 21,850,652 

1876 28,104,285 

1877 1  38,807,611 

1878 48,388,853 

1879 41,6ei,;<38 

1880 72,400,769 

1881 '  44,164,571 

1882 31,394,281 

1883 47,738,117 

1884 ■  27,360,924 

1885 29,382,591 

1886 40,958,177 

1887  '  38,710,858 

1888 47,759,708 

1889 83,200,754 

1890 67,265,486 

1891     '  40,069,786 

1892     43,020,570 

1893 62,967,955 

1894 37,148,719 

189B '  47,857,550 

1896 '  74,379,206 

1897 :  85,250,780 


Rail. 


ToUl. 


577,811  '  13, 640, 664 

:i62, 044  :  24,  339, 284 
125,182     29,373,839 


120,094  I 
618,077  ' 
674,053  ! 
1,452,162 

1.  612, 851 
3, 307,  718 

4, 018, 479 

2,  435, 220 
6,  388, 402 
2, 194, 361 
2, 364, 833 
4,  321, 659 

17, 299,  232 
7, 667, 511 
13,504,458 
19,711.615 
21, 100,  84» 
29,825,348  . 
16,985,706  1 
22,766,746  \ 
24,526,517  '■ 
28,682,864  : 
13,903,051  ; 
10,874,781  I 
20,520,599  '• 
20,070,032 
31,834,558 
25,282,038 
19, 900,  596 
15,055,015 
16, 171, 144 
10,384,628 
12, 063, 390 
11, 482, 004 


24, 870, 094 
12,  614,  552 
25, 095. 653 
32,  910,  017 
21,653,023 
25, 038, 780 

17,  616,  868 
38, 8.S8, 096 
46.  B77, 010 
36,681,566 
32, 607,  144 
26,172,211 
46, 403, 497 
46, 265, 122 
69.  873,  111 
01,872,051 
93,  501, 618 
73, 789,  919 

48,  369, 967 
70,604,862 
51,  887, 441 
58,065,466 
64,  859,  228 

49,  386, 637 
68, 280, 307 
83, 270, 786 
89,  000, 024 
85,  352, 724 
63, 821, 166 
78, 022, 970 
53, 319,  863 
58,242,173 
86, 442, 596 
96,732,764 


Lake. 


005.304 
1,422,776 
2, 470, 745 

6, 808.  800 
i:^  1108,  000 
H,  719,  900 
7,;'95, 113 
9,  746, 205 
12,755,929 

6, 339, 220 
8, 797, 599 
6, 370,  784 
5, 985, 964 
4,741,088 
4,  579,  248 
2, 097,  335 
5, 013,  278 
6, 256,  003 
1,  589,  939 
2, 139, 473 
4,  807,  ,581 
3, 833,  638 

4,  938, 648 

5,  444,  889 
1, 571, 481 
3,219,833 

10,215,112 
13, 784, 336 
24,  948, 459 
18, 622, 884 
17,832,976 
19, 127, 616 
22, 663, 294 
13, 913, 761 
17,694,345 
23, 798, 409 
60,192,982 


Kail. 


242, 580 

69,  731 
367,  4.51 

2,  213,  068 
2, 922, 792 
1, 688, 383 

1,  911,  864 
388,114 

2,  004, 191 

2,084,333  i 
3,312,421 
6, 863, 319 
9, 669, 835 

5,  874, 137 

6,  612, 812 
8, 166, 165 
7, 424, 788 

10, 149, 386 
11,880,719 
18,  402,  U90 
17, 844, 017 
18, 968,  513 
28, 372, 849 
27, 780,  317 
29,  925, 784 
27,  756, 006 
24,  812, 448 
25, 761, 204 
24, 814, 104 
60,604,576 
48,518,064 
44, 567, 610 
41, 425,  300 
32,  719, 788 
46, 472, 686 
55,992,649 
63, 340, 236 


Total. 


847,884 

1,  492,  607 

2,  828, 19« 

7, 909, 858 

15,  020, 792 
10, 258, 283 

9,  306,  777 
10, 133,  319 
14,  700, 120 

8.403,551 
12,  110, 020 
12,  224, 103 

16,  645,  689 
10, 415, 226 
10, 092, 080 
11,183,490 
12,  438,  066 
16,  404, 389 
13,470,658 
20,  542, 469 
22, 861, 598 
22, 000, 161 
31,311,196 
33,226,206 
31, 497, 266 
30,975,838 
34,  827,  660 
39, 525, 540 
49, 782, 663 
69,127,459 
68,361,030 
63, 696, 026 
83, 988,  694 
46,633,649 
64,167,031 
79,790,958 

103,633,218 


arti  of  Trade 


(buBhels). 

Kail.  Total. 


847,884 
1, 492, 507 
■J,  828,  IM 

7, 909, 858 

15,  U2U,  792 
lU,  258, 283 

9,  30(1, 777 
lU,  133, 319 
14,  700, 120 

8,403,551 
12, 110, 020 
12, 224, 103 
16, 545, 589 
10, 415, 22S 
10, 092, 060 
11,163,490 
12,  438,  066 

16,  404, 380 
13,470,658 
20,  542, 469 
22, 651, 598 
22,  UOO,  161 
31,311,195 
33,225,206 
31, 497, 266 
30,975,838 
34,  827,  560 
30, 525, 540 
49, 762, 563 
69,127,459 
66,351,030 
63, 696, 025 
63, 088,  694 
46,633,649 
64,167,031 
79,790,968 

103,633,218 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 
Tabi.k  IV. 


55 


Kant-bound  ihipmenln  of  flour  and  wheat  from  Mihvanhe. 
[Prepared  from  data  furul.he,.  by  W.J.  ..ang.on,  ...cr.,t.ry  of  Ml.wauk™  C.an.Uer  ...  Oo.„„.erce.l 


Year. 


Flour  (barrels). 


Kail. 


1860. 
1861. 


1863... 

1884... 

1866... 

1866.. 

1867.. 

1868.. 

1869.. 

1870.. 

1871.. 

1872.. 

1873.. 

1874.. 

1876,. 

1876.. 

1877.. 

1878.. 

1879.. 

1880.. 

1881.. 

1882.. 

1883.. 

1884.. 

1886. 

1886. 

1887. 

1888. 


Traiiait 
liiies.a 


1890.. 
1891.. 
1892.. 
1893. 
1894. 
1896. 
1896. 
1897. 


11,464 

76, 371 
10, 183 
3,43» 
5,265 
69,662 
242,681 
324,  048 
359,  721 
340,  493 
233, 540 
127,  722 
306, 076 
757,  805 
854,584 
990, 038 
1, 289, 147 
102,675  i 
170, 084 
333, 118 
230, 415 
473, 340 
218, 241 
162, 678 
200, 398 
5;iU,  636 
153, 609 
328, 538 
413,418 
268,819 
196, 389 
407, 912 
467, 728 
417,405 
336, 526 
416, 172 
410,710 
449,  330 


Lake. 


118, 307 
224, 632 
260, 947 
127,468 
52, 251 
47, 953 
83,  812 
111,536 
104,  882 
188, 864 
209,201 
362,606 
421,757 
257, 608 
330, 271 
353,  300 
719,268 
555, 700 
533, 439 
821, 728 
859, 066 
6<t8, 825 
971,366 
1,236,932 
1, 272, 860 
883, 476 
1, 495,  500 
1, 306,  791 
1, 167,  660 
1,114,446 
1, 379, 389 
1,643,120 
1,525,035 
962, 694 
928,000 
1,149,781 
2,164,016 
1, 395, 355 


327, 782 
373, 471 
440, 275 
472,619 
357,317  1 
449,961  ! 
303,872  i 
486,080  I 
652,995 
690,701  I 
783,200  ' 
719,921  1 
507, 168  i 
789, 787 
1, 032, 724 
810, 047 
643,977 
493,026 
734,  54.-I 
728, 639 
938,  575 
717,707 
1,540,549 
1, 402, 181 
1,681,997 
1,370,922 
2,  344, 673 
1,66.3,914 

1,  820, 123 
1, 836, 308 
1,613,728 
1,858,027 

2,  312, 673 
1,677,033 
1, 889, 686 
1,790,653 
1,975,166 

I  2,077,146 


Total. 


457,543 
674, 474 
711,405 
603, 526 
414, 833 
667, 676 
720,  366 
921, 663 
1,  017, 598 
1, 220, 058 
1,225,941 
1, 210, 249 
1, 236, 001 
1,806,200 
2,217,579 
2, 162, 385 
2,652,392  , 
1,151,401  I 
1,438,060  I 
1,883,485  I 
2,028,666  I 
1,859,872  1 
2,730,159 
2,801,791 
3, 055, 205 
2, 785, 034 
3, 993,  782 
3, 299, 243 
3, 401, 201 
3, 219, 673 
3, 189,  504 
3, 809, 059 
4, 305. 436 
3, 057, 132 
3, 154, 211 
3, 356, 606 
4,549,891 
3,921,830 


Wheat  (bushelH). 


Transit 
lines.a 


27,756 


8,160 
2, 280 
03, 170 
29, 543 
10.401 
19, 530 
70, 752 
24, 078 
168, 043 
481),  247 
193, 786 
374, 140 
751,211 
930, 687 
,  330, 795 
,  205, 229 
286, 462 
403, 062 
189, 548 
8,780 
66,209 
41,757 
4,146 
98,  463 
35, 115 
91,  382 
122, 395 
165,910 
454, 101 
47,691 
13,665 
262,303 
370, 350 
166,646 


7,  532, 554 
13,201,715  I 
14,908,907  i 
12,835,864  i 
8, 980,  598 
10,166,903  1 
10,  876,  391 
0. 24<J,  448 
0,411,888 
13,040,748 
15,766,025  ' 
13,082,990 
10,616,975 
22,  802.  693 
17,889,429  , 
19,  474,  2Tv) 
12, 754, 087 
16, 098,  525 
10,  510,  017 
9, 955, 085 
7,025,059  i 
5,000,589 
825, 570 
1,871,995 
2,083,817 

3,  228, 934 

4,  205, 470 
4, 213, 006 
1,759,508 

973, 035 
•■  1, 389, 714 
1  1,  247, 724 
;  1,  833,  994 
i     1, 971, 776 

231,227 
I  858,600 
i  797, 873 
1     1, 106, 604 


ToUl. 


7,  508,  608 
13, 3110,  406 
14,015,680 
12, 837,  620 

8,  902, 470 
10, 479,  777 
11,634,749 

9,  598,  452 
9,  878,  099 

14,272,299 
16.127,838 
13,  400,  467 
ll,.'i70,  576 
24. 904,  266 
22, 2.'>5,  380 
22,  668,  667 
16,771,572 
17,597,784 
14, 777, 922 
13, 002, 202 
8,  333,  911 
6, 197,  613 
1,189,234 
2, 004, 476 
3,  200, 089 
5,378,631 
4,717,311 
4,865,960 
2, 477, 118 
1, 5U1, 262 
1,715,984 
2, 572, 321 
3,  587,  794 
3,  323, 187 
469,642 
2,640,266 
2,253,123 
2, 028, 849 


";::^„;;;.^nes"  are  the  ro^^^rm^  by  vessel,  across  Lake  Mlehlgan  and  railroads  running  to 
the  east  and  southeast. 


56 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE 


FdMl-hoiitiil  ikipmenlK  nf  rorn  and  oalnjrom  Milwaider. 
[Prpp«re.l  f.oni  .liit.i  lurnUlHa  l,v  W.  .1.  l.«i.K»oii.  H«crH«iy  of  Mlhvu.ikM.(;i.«i.i1pei»f  (.'ommer.e.J 

Oats  (huHhi'lH). 


Trniuit 
line*,  a 


2,'J57  ' 


Corn  (himlielH). 
Lake. 


:i4,  947 


1871. 
1878. 


1878.. 

1874.. 

187B.. 

1876.. 

1877.. 

1878.. 

1879.. 

1880.. 

1881 . . 

188J.. 

188.1.. 

1884.. 

1885.. 

1880.. 

1887.. 

188.S.. 

18WI.. 

IHltO.. 

1891. 

1892.. 

18!i:i.. 

1894  . 

189.->.. 

1896. 

1897.. 


e:iu 

fi,'i() 
2, 11)8 
18,»\MI 
l,2fll 

r.,  45H 

'J.  5U(( 

7,U51 
32,  44(1 
25,509  ^ 

21,  im 

3. 97(1 

.5,  884 
7:1.514 
2H.  1*18 
(19,  liri,^ 
108,  2I«) 
HI,  0(1(1 
;iO,  lUU)  ;. 
49.440  I 
7U,840  ( 

92,onii  i 

43,080 

8,000  j 
59.040 

200.220  ! 

172,2110  ; 

10,').  9,10  j. 
20,650 
77,600  1. 

139,  .TOO  I 


31,846 
35, 0,57 
29,001 
(ill,  290 
5(1.  707 
42,  ,579 
30, 9115 
20.  774 
30,210 
740 
3,  2H0 

8.  583 
7,  tlTH 

18,943 
2,744 
1.854 
51),  K13 
09,  903 
28,481 
IH,  29,S 

9,  970 


1.894 
9,  735 
80.  849 
73,  350 
51,  249 
103, 1,32 
91.707 
21,  8G0 

541) 


17, 300 


H8,  989 
132.940 

34,;:51 
4,50,  747 
100,3211 
2M5.  300 

49,  121 

47,  21K 
391, 12H 
1.  .522.  2.55 
194.072 
510.  232 
185,872 

03,371 

24(1.  h:io 

274,  1.52 

S05.  »«« 

1,402.  H4H 

2,55,013 

281.  403 

1 . 304. 375 

33,  H06 

04,  551 

31,115 

26,  087 

27,  454 
51, 231 

215.  335 

«4.  253 

28, 933 

7.  200 

3,217 

3,  300 

290, 278 

1,719,981 


'I'dtal. 


37,  20 

1,  485 

0,  480 

88,  989 

104,786 

71,203 

48(1.  408 

200,210 

342,717  , 

03,  800  I 

103, 173 

419,  103 

1.  557.  953 

107,920  I 

5.50,  ,503 

220.  805 

00  55H 

2«fl,  H07 

2K(I,  H(iO 

8[3,7:'.0 

1.5:ifl,  175 

3,54.  334 

381,030 

l,4iH),8".'" 

105,  07(1 

100,. I;,)! 

82,.:40  1 

i\o,':6'i 

200,  ,163  . 
108.201  ' 

8.;,  ,184 
227,025  : 

41(1, 800  : 

201,350 

109,  107 

30,  400 

370,  878 

1, 876,  581 


a"  rraiisiUines"  ar«  the  routPs  formed  by  vessels  (ktoss  Lakr  Michigan  au.l  railroads  ridinliig  to 
lie  east  and  southeast. 


."mmi   W'i)r;i.iifi81i;r'n 


nilierof  (.'onimene.J 


hi'lH). 

I.nkc. 

Tutul, 

48.  :i7!l 

04.683 

1,2110 

7S.  (fJI 

71»,  01)4 

HI  7,  ,'11 

h:u,  000 

7;t().  ;)24 

811,634 

■.m,  ofiii 

326,  472 

i.in«.;tin 

1 ,  o;io.  HI),') 

.-.r)7,  507 

022,  468 

48li.Hll 

,-.30,  .538 

:iii,it'.'H 

3,->l,768 

rj'.'.45!i 

210. 187 

714,1(47 

772.  92» 

1.  i4i).r)n;i 

1.323,284 

842,  l.VJ 

<.m.  52S 

5;i«,H7i 

720,  03.5 

7iiH,  liUtt 

1,  100.  4.''>ii 

707,  ,1:1(1 

1,377,  ,5(;i) 

4(14,  IKK! 

778,  170 

910.  .'ilU 

1,208.284 

8(JB.  (104 

1.040,008 

«7(l,  (178 

1, 3.52,  832 

:i7;!,  8711 

HU!i,  88» 

■jo:).  ■J.*!! 

702,  005 

l,o:i:i.  Hiu 

l.flO"i,415 

Kin,  0:14 

272,  481 

87,  5.'>4 

,W«,104 

1 211,  111 

371,311 

l,'i4,  01 1 

41 1,  306 

127,  872 

3,54,  179 

212,(120 

744,  036 

424,  ;i4.'> 

1.049, 103 

(i;)2. 5:17 

1,052,273 

2,  .'•.7ft.  »38 

4.  308,  393 

:i,  ,^20,  8(1» 

,5.  flfifl,  782 

4, 7:(2,  «(i:i 

0.  Iflfi.  005 

4,  (142,  881 

7.984.735 

10,470.812 

13.909,228 

5,  U93, 138 

8,  884,  306 

n<l  railrimdn  riumliig  to 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    roMMEKCE. 


57 


Tabi.b  V. 


Kireijilii  of  flour  and  ii'lteal 


a,  i:,it  a„^l  n»HaU>  h,,  hike,  a.ul  m'ei,,!^  «/   "•"  ''"'"'•.'/  <'!''*' 
AlUtntic  iioiii. 


,000  oiiilttwl. 


TMHTt 


Flmii-  (liHIIi'lt). 

iBrte-alBnfflhlowli   Total 


1808 

18(iJ 

I81O 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

187.5  

1876 

1877  0 

1878  c 

1879  0 

188(10 

1881  0 

1882  r! 

1883  0 

1884 

isas 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1890 

1897 


It: ' 

1.56 
229 
167 
178  ' 
210  '• 
29.5 
32(1 
185 
85 
309 
308 
f>94 
402 
87(1 
81(1 

568 
371 
910 
98h 
1.055 
(J  1.655 
990  i 
2,001  1 
1,704  1 
2. 192 
1.918 
1,967 


1.592 
1..598 
1,470 
1,278 
702 
1.2.59 
1,693 
1,810 
So7 
(193 
911 
Hll7 
1.317 
1,051 
1,199 
2.071    . 
2,015  ' 
2,903  ' 
4,582  ! 
4.001  I 
,5,214 
6,480 
0,  245 

7,  093 

9.  74(1 
10  562 
11,    88 

8,  !(■;  1 

10,  384 
12,445 


1,«2U  ■ 
1,7,54 
1,099 
1,  445 
041 
1,  175 

1 ,  9h9 

2,  131 
l'il2 
778 

1.221 
1.205  1 
1.912  ! 
1.54.)  \ 

■>.  (Kill   1 

2.  H82 

3,  172 
3.471 
4.953 
4.920  , 

o.2;:3  I 
7,  i:',o 

7,  »iil 
M,  093 
11,748  \ 
12,200 
13,081 
10,  889 
12,  291 


I.cailiiitf 

ilulit 
Atliiiitic 

IHirtn. 

7, 444 

8,  427 
8,  897 

8,  018 
8, 193 

9,  2(10 
111,0,57 

9.411 
9.  120 

8.  334 

9.  0'i4 
11,201 

10,  323 
10,  .558  i 
12. 414 
13,  420 
13,  037 
13,352 

13.  .591 
16.092 

14.  308 
13.011 
15.290 
17.040 
20,  .554 
21.378 
20, 795 

10.  271 
20. 059 


Wheat  (ImnheU), 


Kriit.  o 


424 

672 
770 
731 
937 

2.  .511 

3,  598 
3,  132 
1,H22 

2,  507 
3, 458 
3, 244 

3.  9:10 
2.  029 


itlKht 
Atliiiilli" 
HnffBlo.h    Totiil.       ,„„,„. 


1.030 
049 
I  221 
514 
1,144 
1,500  I 

317 
1,125 

144 
6.  8(J3 
7,811 
3.  334 
2,255 
1,777  i 
5,643  I 


12, 558 

19,  228 

20,  550 

22,  606 
14,  304 
30,  618 
20, 778 
32,  967 
19.  324 

23,  284 
3.5,410 
37. 788 
40,510 
18.  40ft 
•JO.  0.50 

24,  105 
32,469 
27,  130  I 
41.  430  I 
48.111 
27.548 
26.  051 
24.  868 
76. 945 
78.  243 
68. 243 
50,  194 
■17,2.56 
54,411 
56,  506 


12,B7»  I 
19.901 
21,326 
23, 338 
1,5,242  I 
33.  130  i 
33.376  ; 
:;o,(V.i9 
21,  147 
25.  791 
38,  877 
41  1132 
44,  446 
20.  ,524 
27,  080 
24,751 
34,001 
!  27.045 
1  42,574 
I  49,011 
27.805 
I  27, 177 
1  25,033 
1  83,748 
80,085 
!  71,  .578 
52.  440 
49.  033 
00,  0.54 


20,  764 

38.  K13 
30, 603 
43,  ,527 
28,186 
.52. 614 
62, 761 
54,457 
42,881 
40.  828 
110.775 
144.204 
135.  776 
85,  843 
81,837 
.58.  836 
07,  997 
46,  070 
71.606 
83.  177 
35,  809 
30.015 
29,  072 
102.489 
110,145 
M,.  0,52 
01.725 
49.  205 
65,  076 


„Tl,oreceipU,..^r.e;ue,,,o,;«iv™..no.,a.nna.™i«jrt«^ 
Bu,lalo.l883S;>Wini,u«  Th^^^^^^^^^^^^  l.Ttho"  annual  reports  .T  tho   H„m.lo  Merchants 

5?£L  re;.elpt«  t.rou^h  tl.  ..u.on..h..e  not  lne,„ae,.  in  1877,  ,878,  1879,  1880,  1881,  1882,  and 


M 


HTATIHTICh    OF    LAKE   COMMKIT'E. 


Heveipti  of  vurii  and  uati  at  Erie  and  liuffalo  by  lakt,  ar.'  '(wrint*  at  thi  leudiug  eiyht 

Atlantic  porta, 

[,())W  omitted.] 


Y«Mr. 


Corn  (bimlieU). 
I  Krlt.a 


Oat*  (buihvli). 


I.r><liiiK 

I     elKlit        " 

Buffalo.*    Totiil.j^^^J,""   Krle.a  Buffalo.*!  Tot»l. 


tww. 
mv. 

1870. 
1871. 
1872. 


, sn 

037 

654 

IIOl 

821 

1873 1.344 

1874 1.600 

1878 850 

1W« X»41 

1877e 8,(122 

1878(1 1  3,1IW 

mte ,  2,11» 

1880e ...'  7,070 

1881« ;  4.607 

1881a '  2.MH 

1883r 3,141) 

1884 i.a«;' 

1886 I,fl47 

1886 1,47» 

1887 354 

1888 l.W 

1889 3,622 

1800 '  7,225 

1801 2,231 

1892 6,506 

1893 8,009 

1894 2,651 

189B 2,7.59 

1896 6,843 

1897 ' 


1«,  804 
11.549 
0,410 
20, 110 
.14,  U43 

28,  5.511 
24, 074 
22,  59:1 
20,  030 
33,  HU2 
33,  133 
32,990 
62,214 
34, 434 
21,«fi4 
34, 97.5 
18,  538 
21,028 

29,  1,5,5 
30, 100 
36,  422 
47, 127 
44, 136 
20,  U16 
32, 377 
40, 539 
29, 078 
B7,  579 
47,811 
66,933 


17,  321 
12, 186 
9,064 

25,  412 

35,  2«4 
29, 805 

26,  474 
23, 452 

23,  881 
30,  3H5 
38,  329 
35, 110 
69, 284 
39, 102 

24.  243 
38,115  I 
10,  801 
22.  675 
30. 034 
30.  554 
38, 058 
50,  649 
51.362 
31,847 
37,  073 
48,549 
31,7,30 
40,  339 
54,654 


80,800 
30,315 
18, 665 
46, 417 
71,488 

49,  322 
51,749 

46,  029 
84,713 
82,716 
97,  306 
04, 6811 

115.  IIU 
84,  983 
28,  4112 
02,  7tl4 
30,  5,55 
77,  44U 
07,  5H5 
43,614 

47,  799 
83  149 
92,444 

50,  049 
88, 838 
59, 802 
53,  546 
66,933 

113,466 


314 
130 
521 

42 
047 
351 
694 
187 
306 

32 
137 
279 
6 
511 
547 
275 

10 
5 


68 

551 

5 

183 


361 

6 

60 

384 


11.492 
5,459 
6,846 
0,006 
6,050 
5,072 
5,396 
8,494 

2,  397 
4,279 
5,  122 
1,104 
1,640 

3,  565 
1.650 
3,  220 
3,174 

767 

1,014 

4,650 

7,897 

14. 309 

13,860 

12.454 

16,600 

20,700 

16,660 

22, 231 

40,107 

64,141 


11,806 

5,  589 

7,  367 
0,048 
6,097 

6,  323 
6,901 

8,  682 
2,703 
4,301 
5,260 
1,384 
1,6,54 
4,076 
2, 107 
3,  502 
3,  194 

772 

1,014 

4,650 

7.065 

14,861 

13,  805 

\?.  Ha7 

16,500 

I  21,  001 

i  15,565 

22, 281 

>  40,492 


<^il{l>t 

Attuiitio 

I>or(a. 

16,755 
15,  259 
15,486 
21,015 
22,  254 

22,  270 
20,  333 
19,070 
23, 705 
19, 248 

23,  842 
20,  78« 
23,  714 
24, 738 
25, 464 
30,040 
31,626 
40,  412 
36, 917 
35,449 
40, 062 
38,415 
52.  310 
4.5  56.S 
56!  463 
52, 406 
44,  940 
45,109 
78, 919 


I 


oTbe  rcccljits  iit  Erie  iirc  those  Riven  in  tlie  annual  report*  of  the  New  York  ITortuce  Exchange. 

6  The  reoeipti  at  Bnllalo  are  tliose  given  in  "A  skotoh  of  the  commerce,  industries,  and  regources 
of  Hutlalo,  1883,"  l)v  William  Thuratone,  Hecretar.v  of  the  BuBalo  Merchants'  Kxchiinee,  in  the  annual 
re|H)rta  of  tlie  Now  York  Produce  Kxcliange,  and  iu  the  annual  reports  of  the  Bullalo  Merchants 

^'cCai'iMnau  receipts  through  the  custom-house  not  include«l  in  1877,  1878,  1879,  1880,  1881,  1882,  and 
1883  in  the  stutemeuts  of  lliitl'alo  receipts. 


ut  thi   Usidiiiy  eiyhl 


iiliali). 

I0.6 

ToUl. 

492 

II.8<W 

m 

s,  r>8e 

HM 

7,  ;i67 

oud 

U,  04H 

USU 

6,»07  ! 

1(72 

6,32:1 

'JIM 

5,9111 

404 

H.6H2 

;i97 

2,703 

27» 

4,301 

122 

5,260 

1U4 

1,384 

«4» 

1,654 

58.') 

4,076 

(150 

2, 107 

22« 

3,  502 

174 

3,  194 

767 
,014 
,650 
,897 
,  309 
,860 
.454 
.500 
,700 
,660  i 
,  231 
,107 
.1*1 


77 

1,014 

4,656 

7.965 

14,861 

13,  806 

}?.  Ha7 

IS,  500 

21,001 

15, 565 

22, 281 

40,492 


LeiuItoK 

Atlantic 
{Hirta. 

16,755 
15,  259 
15,486 
21,015 
22.  254 

22.  270 
20,  333 
19,070 

23,  705 

19,  248 
23,  842 

20,  78« 
23,  714 
24, 738 
25, 464 
30,040 
31,525 
40,412 
35, 917 
35,449 
40, 052 
38,415 
i.2.  310 
4.''<  f,(a 
5«!  453 
52, 495 
44,940 
45,109 
78, 919 


8TATI8TICM   OF    LAKK    COMMKHCK. 

Tahlk  VI. 

ExporiH  of  Jtoar  and  wheat  from  New  Orlrani  and  (inheiton.  (a) 

( ,000  omltt«<l.J  

Wheat  (bnrteli). 


59 


rioiir  (b«rreU). 


New     1      G»l 
Orletni,  |  veiton. 


k  I'rortuce  Ezolmiige. 
<lustriu8,  and  resources 
{xcbiiiiKe.  iu  the  annual 
the  Bunalo  Merchants' 

879,  1880,  1881,  1882,  and 


1880.. 
1S81.. 
1882.. 
1883.. 
1884.. 
1886.. 
1887.. 
1888.. 
1889  . 
1800. 
1891. 
18»2. 
1898. 
1894. 
1895. 
1896. 


58  1 
64  1 

38  ; 

84  j 

83  I 

8S 

64 

43 

32 

44 

63 
326 
118 
133 

91 
388 


Total. 


New  <1»1- 

OrleuBH.     veston. 


Total. 


53 
flfl 
28 
84 
33 
85 
68 
43 
32 
63 
64 
247 
169 
192 
144 
386 


3,933  ; 
7,671  ! 

1,543 

7,089 

648 

1,590 

4,346 

1,506 
9«1 

1,623 
10,336 
14,  207 
12,  807 

2,  926 
836 

3,863 


0 
0 
0 
3 

37 
3  1 
0 
0 
0 


687 

378 

1,311 

135 

3,439 


3,023 
7,671 

1,543 

7,092 

676 

1,698 

4,346 

1,606 
961 

1,633 
10,938 
14.586 
13, 208 

3,061 
836 

7,292 


VK„r,880t:i8«..h.fl«.^s^bU|n^^^^ 

}r*^,rt.l;"rre^^s":'ra\^trf^^^^^^^^^^       «.« -•»-"...  „■,..««. 

Exports  of  corn  and  oat»  from  New  Orleans  a„d  (lalveston. 

OomTbMheU).  I  Oati  (bneheU). 

Total. 


and  for 
e  taken 


New     I     Gal- 
Orleans,    veston. 


8,039 

8,900 

1,740 

6,378 

6,052 

6,645  : 

7,606 

4,960 

\Z. •••::::::::::::::::i   \km 

1891. 
1892. 
1893. 
1884. 
1896 
1896 


1,912  I 
7,379  i 
6,606  , 
6,441 
8,767  ! 
25,298 


0 

0 

0 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

36 

13 

146 

98 

6 

1,338 

6.222 


8,  039 
8,900 
1,740 
6,381 
6,062 
6,046 
7,506 
4,960 
U,  813 
12,064 
1,025 
7,524 
6,604 
6,446 
8,900 
31, 615 


PART  ni. 


1^. 


LAKE  TRANSPORTATION  AND  THE  IRON-ORB  INDUSTRY. 

In  exaininin;^  tlie  tratttc;  statistics  of  the  Great  Lakes  our  attention 
is  at  once  airestcd  by  tlie  enornions  auiouut  of  iron  ore  that  is  annually 
transported.  Duiing  the  navif^ation  season  of  1897,  of  the  18,982,755 
net  tons  of  freight  sent  through  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,  l(),()33,7ir) 
net  tons  were  iron  ore;  the  total  shipments  of  iron  ore  by  lake  from  all 
the  lake  ports  aggregated  I3,(»8l,522  net  tons.  At  present,  approxi- 
mately, two  tliirds  of  the  iron  ore  consnraed  by  the  blast  furnaces  of 
this  country  is  carried,  during  some  portion  of  the  journey  from  the 
mine  to  the  i'urnacie,  over  the  waters  of  the  Great  Lakes.  That  this 
vast  amount  of  ore  from  the  Lake  Superior  region  lias  affected  the 
mining  operations  of  tlie  otlier  or<!-produciug  districts  and  has  luul  a 
far-reaching  effect  upon  the  development  of  our  iron  and  .steel  industries 
is  a  matter  of  general  information.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  point  out 
tlie  e.Ktent  to  which  tlie  exploitation  of  the  mines  in  other  portions  of 
the  United  States  h:is  been  effected  by  the  output  from  the  mines  of 
the  Lake  Superior  region. 

nef(n-e  developing  the  point  Just  raised,  it  will  be  well,  perhaps,  to 
locate  in  a  general  way  the  regions  in  which  large  quantities  of  ore  are 
now  being  mined.  Iron  ore  is  very  widely  flistributed  througiiout  the 
United  Stiites.  With  possibly  three  exceptions  every  State  and  Terri- 
tory in  the  irnion  has  mined  iron  ore  or  contains  deposits.  But  at 
present  nearly  the  whole  product  is  won  from  the  mines  of  three  districts. 

The  Eastern  region,  and  naturally  the  first  to  be  noticed,  covers  a 
greiit  extent  of  territory;  but  the  mines  of  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Ohio  have  contributed  nearly  the  whole  output  of 
this  division.  Within  its  borders  all  four  of  the  varieties'  of  ore  are 
mined. 


'For  the  sake  of  simplicity  I  shall  use  the  classiti cation  of  ores  adopted  by  the 
United  States  (Geological  .Survey,  as  follows:  (1)  Red  hematite  comprises  those 
ores  in  which  the  iron  occurs  as  dn  anhydrons  oxide,  giving  a  red  streak  on  a  porce- 
lain plate,  the  color  of  the  ore  being  generally  a  brownish-red  or  red,  although 
sometimes  a  dark  gray,  almost  black.  This  class  includes  "  red  hematite,"  "fossil," 
or  "Clinton"  ores,  "specular,"  "micaceous"'  ore,  "slate"  ore,  etc.,  as  well  as  some 
"martite."  (2)  Brown  hematite,  which  contains  more  water  than  the  red  hematite, 
is  generally  of  a  'brown  or  yellow  color,  and  when  powdered  shows  a  brown  or 
brownish-yellow  streak  on  the  porcelain  plate.  The  varieties  are  known  as 
"limonite,"  "tnrgite,"  "pipe"  ore,  "bog"  ore,  "goethite,"  "oolitic"  ore,  etc.  (3) 
Magnetite  compriaes  those  ores  in  which  iron  occurs  as  a  magnetic  oxide,  generally 
black  or  blueblaok,  or  occasionally  steel  gray  or  greenish  in  color,  and  which  when 
powdered  give  a  black  streak  on  a  test  plate,  and  are  attracted  by  a  magnet.  In 
this  class  is  included  some  "martite,"  which  is  mined  with  magnetite.  (4)  Ct<rbon- 
ate  includes  thoae  iron  ores  which  contain  an  excess  of  carbonic  acid.  They  are 
generally  gray,  yellow,  or  rather  buflF  and  brown  in  color,  and  are  tested  by  the  use 
of  hydrochloric  acid.  Thoy  comprise  the  '-black  band'*  ore*,  "clay  ironstones," 
"spathic"  ores,  "sideriteB,"  etc. 

From  Bome  mined,  brown  and  red  hematite,  or  red  hematite  and  magnetite,  or  car- 
bonate and  brown  hematite  ores  are  obtained  out  of  the  same  workings,  the  extent 
to  which  ores  are  hydra  ted  or  weathered  transferring  them  firom  one  class  to  another; 
or  different  classes  of  ore  are  fonnd  intermixed  or  alternating  in  the  same  deposit. 
(John  Birkinbine,  The  Production  of  Iron  Ore  in  Variou'i  puts  of  the  World,  p.  177.) 

60 


I: 


^M^w-ikaHliiiBiMMtadaiawliUir 


ikmmmu^tmAmm 


STATISTICS    OF   LAKE    COMMKRCE. 


ei 


INDUSTRY. 

es  our  attention 

that  isannnally 

lot"  the  18,1)82,755 

[Canal,  l(i,(>33,7]r) 

by  hike  from  all 

present,  approxi- 

hlast  furnaces  of 

journey  from  the 

akes.    That  this 

lias  affected  the 

s  and  has  had  a 

d  steel  industries 

Most  to  point  out 

otlier  portions  of 

•oin  the  nunes  of 

well,  perhai)s,  to 
in  ti  ties  of  ore  are 
I  throughout  the 
State  and  Terri- 
ileposits.  But  at 
of  three  districts. 
uoti(!ed,  covers  a 
)rk,  New  Jersey, 
I  whole  output  of 
■ieties'  of  ore  are 


ares  adopted  by  the 
ite  r-oinprises  those 
d  streak  on  a  porce- 
!d  or  red,  although 
hematite,"  "fossil," 
tc,  as  well  as  some 
»n  the  red  hematite, 
shows  a  brown  or 
bies  .are  known  as 
•litio"ore,  etc.  (3) 
itio  oxide,  generally 
or,  and  which  when 
d  by  a  magnet.  In 
netite.  (4)  Ct<^rbon- 
lio  acid.  Tbey  are 
re  tested  by  the  nae 
"clay  ironstones," 

1  magnetite,  or  osr- 
orkings,  the  extent 
me  class  to  another; 
1  the  same  deposit, 
r  the  World,  p.  177.) 


Peufisylvauia  is  ricli  in  all  of  the  four  different  kinds  of  ore,  but  they 
sel 'oni  contain  as  high  a  percentage  of  iron  as  is  now  insisted  upon  by 
managers  of  blast  luruaces.  The  bulk  of  Pennsylvania's  product  is 
now  of  the  magnetite  variety.  This  is  largely  taken  from  the  Cornwall 
Ore  Hills,  three  hills  of  iron  ore  situated  in  Lebanon  County  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  tState.  This  ore  is  suited  to  the  manufacture 
of  Bessemer  steel,  but  is  rather  low  iij  metallic  iron,  as  it  averages  but 
40  to  50  per  cent.  New  York  also  produces  the  four  different  varieties 
of  ore,  but  at  present  the  bulk  of  the  |)roduct  is  magnetite  in  character 
and  is  mined  in  the  Lake  Champlain  district.  Most  of  this  ore  is  rich 
in  metallic  inni  and  some  of  it  is  of  Bessemer  quality.  Very  near  the 
whole  of  the  output  of  the  mines  of  New  Jersey  is  of  the  luagnetite 
variety,  and  muchof  it  is  of  excellent  (luf'ity.  Many  mines  of  this  State 
are  now  ])ractically  exhausted  and  otiiers  are  operated  only  at  increas- 
ing cost  because  of  the  depth  to  which  the  ore  has  been  removed  and 
the  narrowness  of  the  veins.'  The  ores  of  Ohio  are  carbonates  and  are 
comparatively  poor. 

The  Lake  Superior  region,  unlike  the  Eastern  region,  embraces  but  a 
small  extent  of  territory.  It  falls  within  the  northern  portions  of  the 
States  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  and  the  Upper  Peninsula  of  Michi- 
gan. There  are  live  great  iron-ore  ranges  within  this  district,  Marquette, 
Gogebi(r,  Menominee,  Vermilion,  and  Mesabi.  The  Marquette  range  is 
located  in  Michigan;  the  Gogebic  and  Menominee  are  partly  in  Michi- 
gan and  partly  in  Wisconsin,  and  the  Vermilion  and  Mesabi  lie  wholly 
within  the  State  of  Minnesota.  The  ores  of  this  region  are  red  and 
brown  hematites  and  magnetites,  but  the  bulk  of  the  ore  now  shipped 
is  of  the  red  hematite  variety.  Only  the  richer  ores  are  now  ship})ed, 
as  most  of  the  blast  furnaces  using  Lake  Superior  ores  are  situated  at 
great  distances  from  the  mines. 

The  third  great  ore  region  is  located  in  the  South,  and  embraces  the 
central  portion  of  Tennessee,  the  northern  part  of  Alabama,  and  north- 
western Georgia.  It  is  generally  known  as  the  Alabama-Tennessee  region. 
This  division  ranks  next  in  importance  to  the  Lake  Superior  district 
as  a  contributor  to  the  iron-ore  output  of  the  United  States.  Nearly 
all  the  ore  now  mined  in  this  region  is  red  and  brown  hematite.  It  is 
neither  so  rich  in  metallic  iron  nor  so  free  from  deleterious  ingredients 
as  are  the  Lake  Sui)erior  ores. 

It  was  stated  at  the  beginning  that  the  very  larg<;  movement  of  ore 
ii-om  the  Lake  Superior  region  has  affected  mining  operations  in  the 
other  districts.  In  order  to  show  the  amount  of  ore  contributed  by  the 
various  regions  to  the  total  for  the  United  States  in  a  form  easily  com- 
preheni5ible,  and  also  in  order  more  clearly  to  present  the  comparative 
development  of  the  different  districts,  the  figures  covering  the  produc- 
tion of  iron  ore  in  the  several  regions,  and  in  the  United  States  as  a 
whole,  have  been  put  into  the  forui  of  a  chart.  As  reliable  and  complete 
data  are  not  obtainable,  it  has  not  been  attempted  to  make  the  chart 
cover  the  years  previous  to  1880.*  As  the  changes  which  it  is  desired 
to  point  out  have  for  the  most  part  taken  place  since  1880,  the  absence 

'  Under  the  leadership  of  Thomas  A.  Edison,  a  uompany  has  been  organized  and  a 
large  plant  erected  for  enriching  the  lean  magnetic  ores  of  New  Jersey,  The  results 
of  this  enterprise  will  probably  disappoint  the  investors.  For  a  description  of  tliis 
undertaking  see  Iron  Age,  Vol.  LX,  No.  18,  p.  1,  and  McClure's  Magaxiue,  Novem- 
ber, 1897. 

''  For  the  census  year  1870,  the  facts  are  given  in  Aupendix  III,  Table  II,  and  it  let 
also  there  explained  in  what  respect  the  figures  of  that  census  are  faulty.  The 
items  which  were  combined  to  form  ti  *^^als  that  appear  in  the  chart  are  given  in 
greater  detail  in  the  same  place. 


62 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE, 


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STATISTICS   OF    LAKE   COMMERCP^. 


of  statistics  for  the  earlier  years  is  a  matter  of  but  little  concern.  But 
the  meagerness  of  information  concerning  the  production  of  iron  ore 
during  the  decade  beginning  with  the  year  1880  is  cause  for  regret, 
for  it  was  during  this  i)eriod  that  the  greatest  changes  occurred  in  the 
relative  importance  of  the  ore  regions.  It  will  be  noted  that  during 
the  tirst  ten  years  there  is  perfect  uniformity  of  movement  in  the  lines 
which  represent  the  total  production  for  the  United  States,  and  those 
for  the  Eastern  and  Southern  divisions.  These  lines  do  not  accurately 
refiect  actual  conditions — the  statistics  that  show  the  production  dur- 
ing the  years  intervening  between  1880  and  1889  are  not  obtainable. 
Such  facts  as  can  be  obtained  are  givjn  in  Appendix  III,  Table  II. 

That  the  irajiortancc  of  the  Lake  Superior  region  can  not  easily  be 
overestimated  is  made  clear  by  the  chart;  from  a  comparatively  unim- 
portant position  it  has,  in  the  course  of  a  decade  and  a  half,  come  to 
contribute  almost  twice  as  much  ore  as  all  the  other  parts  of  the  Tnited 
States  combined.  In  tlie  census  year  1880  the  total  production  for  the 
United  States  was  7,12(),3(»2  long  tons;  to  this  amount  the  lake  region 
contributed  but  1,677,814  tons,  or  2',iM  per  cent  of  the  total  output. 
During  the  year  1896  16,005,449  long  tons  of  ore  were  mined  in  the 
United  States,  and  of  this  amount  10,56(»,3.j9  tons,  or  66  per  cent,  were 
taken  from  the  mines  of  tlie  lake  region.  The  bare  figures  without 
further  explanations  do  not,  however,  fully  reflect  the  importance  of 
the  northern  district,  for  Lake  Superior  ores  are  very  much  richer  in 
iron  than  the  ores  of  the  other  regions.  If  the  quality  as  well  as  the 
quantity  of  the  ore  be  taken  into  consideration,  the  lake  region  is  enti- 
tled to  even  .a  more  important  position  than  would  be  assigned  to  it  on 
a  simple  tonnage  basis  of  comparison. 

In  striking  contrast  with  the  increased  production  of  the  lake  region 
is  the  rapid  decrease  in  the  amount  contributed  by  the  great  mining 
States  of  the  eastern  region.  During  the  census  year  1880  the  mines  of 
New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and  Ohio  yielded  4.243,372  long 
tons  of  ore,  the  total  product  of  the  United  States  being  but  7,120,362 
tons.  The  production  of  these  States  fell  oflf  slowly  in  the  years  follow- 
ing 1880,  but  after  1889  the  <lecrease  was  rapid  and  continuous  until 
189r>,  when  there  was  a  break  in  the  downward  movement.  The  share 
of  these  four  States  in  the  total  output  of  16,005,449  long  tons  for  1896 
was  but  1,456,740  tons.  Expressed  in  percentages,  there  was  raised 
from  the  mines  of  these  States  during  the  census  year  1880  59,59  per 
cent  of  the  total  product  of  the  mines  of  the  United  States,  and  in  1896 
but  9.10  per  cent — an  enormous  falling  off.  This  very  great  contrac- 
tion '  of  the  product  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New  .Jersey,  and  Ohio 
is  the  more  surprising  be(;ause  most  of  the  blast  furnaces  of  the  United 
States  are  located  within  their  boundaries. 

The  output  of  the  southern  district  has  largely  increased  during  the 
period  covered  by  the  chart,  but  the  progress  of  this  region  has  beer, 
much  slower  than  that  of  the  lake  division.  The  southern  district  is 
in  large  measure  isolated ;  its  ores  are  not  thrown  into  direct  compe- 
tition with  the  lake  ores,  as  is  the  case  with  the  eastern  ores,  for  trans- 
portation charges  act  as  a  barrier  and  prevent  such  competition.    The 


'  The  ores  of  the  eiistern  region  must  also  meet  the  competitiou  of  foreign  ores. 
There  has  been,  however,  no  large  increase  in  impurtatioiis,  hence  the  decreased 
ontput  of  the  eastern  region  can  not  in  any  appreciable  measare  be  ascribed  to  for- 
eign competition.  During  the  past  few  years  there  has  been  a  decrease  of  importa- 
tions. It  is  therefore  very  clear  that  the  excessive  competition  of  imported  ores 
does  not  explain  the  limited  ontput  of  the  eastern  mines.  Beginning  with  the  year 
1872  the  importations  will  be  found  in  Appendix  III,  Table  II ;  they  are  also  repre- 
sented by  the  lowest  line  of  the  chart  for  the  years  which  it  covers. 


.J 


aw-j  ■ni«'ii..j^wii 


64 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 


exteut  ol'  tbe  substitution  of  lake  ores  for  eastern  ores  is  shown  by  the 
chart  (p.  02).  Jt  yet  remains  to  be  shown  why  the  former  ores  are  pre- 
ferred to  tlie  latter,  and  how  it  is  possible  to  carry  ores  from  the  mines 
of  Minnesota  to  the  furnaces  of  Pennsylvania  and  sell  them  at  such  a 
price  that  they  will  be  taken  in  preferencie  to  native  ores.  Lake  Supe- 
rior ores  are  now  transported  almost  to  the  Atlantic  Seaboard'  and 
there  sold  in  competition  with  both  native  and  foreign  ores.-  That  lake 
ores  have  qualities  which  commend  them  to  ironmasters  is  obvious. 
The  high  esteem  in  which  they  are  held  is  due  i)artly  to  their  great 
richness  in  metallic  iron,  largely  to  tlieir  freedom  from  deleterious 
ingredients,  particularly  phosphorus  and  sulphur,  and  to  some  exteut 
to  their  excellent  i)hysical  condition  and  freedom  from  moisture. 

All  of  these  factors  weigh  in  determining  the  value  of  an  iron  ore. 
In  general  a  ri(!h  ore  requires  less  I'uel  to  smelt  it;  it  also  has  less  for- 
eign matter  to  be  Huxed  ouc,  and  tlius  a  smaller  amount  of  limestone 
will  suftice  for  Huxing.  If  a  rich  or«  be  used  there  is  therefore  a  three- 
fold saving:  (1)  Because  an  ore  rich  in  metallic  iron  generally  reduces 
more  readily  than  a  lean  ore;  (2)  as  less  limestone  is  necessary,  a 
smaller  amount  of  fuel  will  be  needed  to  smelt  the  tlux,  and  (3)  there 
is  a  saving  of  Huxing  material  which,  in  the  case  of  a  large  establish- 
ment, amounts  to  a  considerable  sum  in  the  course  of  a  year.  With 
rich  ores,  as  less  flux  and  fuel  are  reojuired,  the  labor  cost  of  handling 
the  raw  materials  is  smaller,  and  as  less  cinder  is  made,  the  expense 
of  providing  space  for  this  cinder  and  means  for  handling  it  is  con- 
sequently reduced.  The  richer  ores,  together  with  the  proper  quan- 
tities of  fuel  and  tlux,  occupy  less  space  in  the  blast  furnace  than  the 
leaner  ores  combined  with  the  fuel  and  tlux  required  to  reduce  them, 
and  therefore  generally  permit  of  more  rapid  "  driving."  In  the  case  of 
the  richer  ores  there  is,  therefore,  a  smaller  cost  per  ton  of  i)roduct, 
for  interest  on  the  ])Iant,  nninagement,  and  other  fixed  charges, i)ecause 
these  expenses  are  distributed  over  a  greater  tonnage  than  would  be 
the  (-ase  if  lean  ores  were  used. 

Other  things  being  equal,  the  smaller  the  amount  of  phosphorus  sul- 
phur and  titanic  acid  and  other  undesirable  substances '  which  the  ore 
contains,  the  j,feater  will  be  its  value.  If  an  ore  contains  more  than 
one  part  phosphorus^  to  every  one  ^ousand  parts  metallic  iron,  it  is 
unfit  for  the  manufacture  of  steel  by  what  is  now  the  cheapest  method — 

'The  blast  fiiruaoes  in  New  ,lei  ly  ciid  eiisteni  Pi'iiusylvauia  receive  a  poi'tiou  of 
their  supply  of  ore  from  the  Lako  \perior  rcsiou.  (See  Klovonth  Census:  Mineral 
Industries,  p.  26;  and  The  Producton  of  Iron  Ores  in  Various  Parts  of  the  World, 
p.  188.) 

2 The  ability  of  foreign  ores  to  compete  is  of  course  aH'.c;t«d  by  the  import  duties 
paid.  Previous  to  August  28,  1894,  the  duty  was  75  cen'^s  per  ton,  and  under  the 
tariff  act  of  1894  it  was  40  cents ;  in  the  tariff  act  of  1897  the  rate  appears  unchanged. 

■'  "As  won  from  the  earth  iron  ores  carry  in  greater  or  loss  proportions  other  ele- 
ments, aiioh  as  phosphorus,  sulphur,  manganese,  titanium,  chroiitium,  copper,  rtc, 
which  affect  their  value  for  specific  uses,  as  do  also  the  amounts  of  silica,  lime, 
alumina,  magnesia,  etc. ;  th'sse  latter,  however,  generally  influence  the  percentage 
of  metal  obtainable  from  the  ore,  while  the  first  named,  as  a  rule,  are  more  likely  to 
affect  its  quality."  (John  IJirkinbine,  The  Manufacture  of  Pig  Iron  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, p.  2.) 

It  should  not  be  understood  that  these  substances  are  always  injurious,  fur  such  is 
not  the  case.  For  instance,  if  the  iron  produced  ib  to  be  used  for  foundry  purposes, 
silica  is  not  harmful  if  great  strength  is  not  desired ;  in  fact,  quite  the  contrary  is 
true,  for  the  silica  gives  the  iron  greater  fluidity,  thus  making  it  a  better  casting 
iron. 

« There  is  now  a  tendency  to  insist  on  a  still  lovi  er  percentage  of  phosphorus;  late 
specifloations  for  steel  rails  do  not  accept  0.1  of  :i.  per  cent  phosphorus,  but  demand 
0.086  of  1  per  cent  phosphorus.  Specifications  for  structural  steel  also  insist  upon 
less  phosphorus  than  formerly. 


i 


1 


is  shown  by  the 

iier  ores  are  pre- 

s  from  the  mines 

them  at  siivh  a 

;es.    Lake  Siipe- 

Seaboard  'and 

res.^    That  hike 

ters  is  obvious. 

y  to  their  great 

i'om  deleterious 

to  some  exteut 

moisture. 

e  of  an  iron  ore. 

also  has  less  for- 

)uut  of  limestone 

therefore  a  three- 

ijeuerally  reduces 

B  is  necessary,  a 

lux,  and  (3)  there 

a  largti  establish- 

of  a  year.     With 

vast  of  handling 

lade,  the  expense 

mdling  it  is  cou- 

tlie  proper  quau- 

furnace  than  the 

to  rednce  them, 

."    In  the  case  of 

r  ton  of  i)roduct, 

I  ch{irges,i)ecause 

ge  than  woukl  be 

)f  phosphorus  sui- 
tes'  which  the  ore 
)ntains  more  than 
metallic  iron,  it  is 
iheapest  method — 

a  receive  a  portion  of 
Mitli  Ceiisus :  MiuBral 
!  Parts  of  the  World, 

by  the  import  duties 
I'  toil,  and  uiider  the 
>e  appears  uuclianged. 
)roportion8  other  ele- 
roiuiuui,  copper,  etc., 
ountiB  of  silica,  lime, 
leuce  the  percentage 
lie,  are  more  likely  to 
Pig  Iron  in  Peiinsyl- 

I  iujurioiiH,  for  such  is 
for  foundry  purposes, 
quite  the  contrary  is 
g  it  a  better  casting 

e  of  phosphorus ;  late 
isphorua,  but  demand 
steel  also  insist  upon 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKK    COMMKRCE. 


65 


the  original  or  acid  Bessemer  process.  This  is  a  very  damaging  dis- 
qualification, for  at  present  the  owners  of  the  Bessemer  steel  works  are 
the  largest  purchasers'  of  iron  ore,  and  pay  tlie  highest  prices. 

Yet  another  important  condition  is  to  be  added;  not  only  must  the 
amount  of  phosphorus  in  the  ore  be  small,  but  it  must  be  uniformly 
distributed;  otherv\i8e,  in  case  the  Bessemer  (converter  be  used,  the 
steel  maunfactured  from  the  ore  will  vary  in  quality  with  every  dis- 
charge  of  the  bhiSt  furnace.'  This  is  tiie  case,  because  practically  all 
of  the  phosphorus  in  the  ore  goes  into  the  pig  iron,  and  is  not  removed 
from  it  by  the  ordinary  Bessemer  ^onveiter.  To  make  the  matter  per- 
fectly clear  an  illustration  may  be  given.  Suppose  that  the  quantity 
of  phosphorus  in  the  ore  as  it  conies  from  the  mine  shows  rather  large 
variations,  but  that  the  average  of  phosphorus  falls  below  the  Bessemer 
limit.  Also  suppose  that  the  charges  of  the  furnace  to  which  the  ore 
is  brought  vary  in  the  amount  of  phosphorus  they  contain,  some  being 
very  low  and  others  very  high  in  iihosphorus  content.  Such  being  the 
case,  tlie  steel  produced  from  the  iron  resulting  from  the  charges  very 
low  in  phosphorus  will  contain  but  little  of  this  element,  the  steel  from 
the  charges  high  in  phosi)horus  will  contain  a  very  large  amount,  and 
it  will,  therefore,  be  unfit  for  the  higher  uses  to  which  the  steel  is  put. 
This  dithculty  can,  in  a  measure,  be  obviated  by  frequently  testing  the 
ore  and  then  mixing  it  in  proper  proportions,  but  this  involves  expense. 

Favorable  physical  texture  and  freedom  from  moisture,  the  two  re- 
maining characteristics  of  first-class  ore,  are  also  important  considera- 
tions. If  ore  be  very  hard  and  dense,  and  if  it  be  introduced  in  large 
masses,  it  is  not.  readily  penetrated  by  the  reducing  gases  o'*  *he  fur- 
nace. Hard  ores,  therefore,  require  more  fuel  and  care  to  smt  it  them. 
To  break  hard  ores  with  a  sledge,  as  was  formerly  done,  was  very 
slow  and  heavy  work.  Manual  labor  has  now  been  superseded  by  heavy 
machines,  which  crush  the  ore  at  slight  expense,  and  thus  the  objections 
that  once  weighed  against  the  hard  ores  have  lost  much  of  their  force. 
Finely  divided  ores  are  also  difficult  to  reduce.  They  pack  and  form 
such  impenetrable  masses  in  the  furnace  that  they  are  acted  upon  very 
slowly  by  the  gases.  The  very  finely  comminuted  ores  are  also  blown 
out  of  the  furnaces  in  large  quantities  by  the  strong  blasts  <-hat  are 
now  used,  and  in  some  cases  these  ores  have  caused  serious  explosions. 
Moisture  is  objectionable  for'  two  reasons:  It  increases  the  weight  of 
the  ore  and  therefore  the  freight,  and  in  general  there  is  at  every  point 


'The  extent  and  growing  injportauce  of  tlie  demand  for  Bessemer  ores  is  indicated 
by  the  following  pe-centages,  wLinh  give  the  proportion  of  Kcsscmer  pig  iron  to  the 
total  pig-iron  jjrcduct  of  the  Uyifed  .States: 


1889. 
1890. 
1891. 


Per  cent. 
..  41.4 
. .  44.5 
..  41.9 


1892. 
1893. 
1894. 


Per  reut. 
..  48..5  I 
..  50.9  i 
..  57.2  i 


1895. 
1896. 


Per  ceut. 
...  59.5 
...  53.9 


"As  8om«!  iron  ores  not  within  the  liessenier  Mniit  of  phosphorus  were  used  in 
admixture  with  low  phosphorus  ores  in  tb<4  production  of  Hesseiuer  pig  iron,  and  as 
many  of  the.  ores  used  for  producing  fonndr^'  and  mill  irons  carry  lower  percentages 
of  metal  thiin  those  smelted  in  the  prodi'itio.i  of  Bessemer  pig  iron,  the  proportion 
of  Bessemer  ore  will  not  be  so  great  as  t.iat  sho"  u  for  the  pig  metal,  but  tne  per- 
iientages  are  sufficiently  close  to  indicate  the  ginwing  increase  in  the  employment 
of  such  material."    (.John  Birl<inbine,  Production  ot  Iron  Ores  in  1895,  p.  8.) 

The  )»orccntage  for  189li  was  deduced  from  the  statistics  of  production  as  given 
in  tlie  Hulletiii  of  Auk  ricaii  Iron  and  Steel  .■Vssocintion,  \<)1.  XXXT,  No.  3,  p.  21. 

•For  the  information  of  those  who  are  unacquiiiiited  with  the  manufacture  of  steel 
it  may  be  stated  that  the  iron  ore  is  reduce<l  to  metal  in  the  blast  furnace,  and  then 
placed  in  the  BesNemer  converter  and  changed  to  steel. 

H.  Doc.  27" 5 


€0 


STATISTICS    OF   LAKE    COMMERCE. 


a  profitless  t'xiieiiditure  of  energy  in  liaiidliiig  it.  It  also  requires  heat 
to  expel  it  from  the  blast  furnace,  which  means  an  increased  consump- 
tion of  fuel. 

As  was  stilted  above,  the  lake  ores  find  favor  with  ironmasters, 
because  they  ])ossess  in  a  very  high  degree  the  four  essential  (jualities 
of  a  good  iron  ore.  That  a  definite  conception  of  the  relative  standing 
of  tiie  ores  of  the  various  districts  may  be  formed,  the  results  of  the 
best  analyses  we  have  will  be  submitted.  The  results  of  the  very 
numerous  analyses  made  by  Piof.  Kai)hael  Pumpelly  of  the  ores  mined 
in  the  census  year  JH80  will  first  be  given.  In  some  localities  the  char- 
acter of  the  ore  mined  has  changed  considerably  since  his  examina- 
tions were  made.  For  these  localities  the  necessary  corrections  will  be 
uiade  so  as  to  show  existing  conditions.  The  following  is  a  i)ortion  of 
Professor  I'umpelly's  table  showing  the  average  per  cent  of  metallic 
iron  in  the  ore  mined  during  the  census  year  1880: ' 

EuBtern  region : 

Now  York 53.99 

New  .Jersey : 53.  73 

IVimsylvaiiia 4.5.28 

Ohio 38.62 

SoutlitTn  rogioii : 

Aliibaiiia .50.67 

Tennessee i^O.  59 

GeorKiii  51.  37 

Lake  Sn))erior  region : 

Michigan .59.  .57 

Minnesota (-') 

Wisconsin -'52.  56 

There  has  been  no  yreat  change  in  the  iron  contents  of  the  ores  mined 
in  the  eastern  regiou,  yet  some  of  the  best  deposits  have  been  exhausted. 
Hence,  if  a  test  were  now  made,  the  ores  of  this  district  would  not 
appear  in  so  favorable  a  light  as  tiiey  did  in  1880.  It  is  being  found 
necessary  to  an  increasing  extent  to  improve  ores  by  washing,  jigging,^ 
and  by  the  use  of  magnetic  separators. 

There  hsis  been  even  a  greater  change  since  1880  in  the  quality  of  the 
Southern  ores.  The  average  yield  of  the  ores  used  by  the  blast  furnaces 
of  Alabama  during  the  last  census  year  was  4-1.4  per  cent.'  The  Clinton 
fossil  ores  (red  hematite),  which  now  constitute  the  bulk  of  the  ore 
rained  in  this  district,  yield  on  an  average  from  42  to  47  per  cent  of 
metallic  iron.  The  Southern  brown  hematites  are  not  so  good  as  the 
Clinton  ores;  if  properly  washed,  however,  they  yield  from  45  to  50 
per  cent  of  iron." 

The  lake  ores  are  somewhat  better  in  quality  than  those  mined  in 
1880.  In  the  opinion  of  David  T.  Day,  special  agent  on  the  mineral 
resources  of  the  United  States  for  the  Eleventh  Census,  the  ores  which 
were  shipped  to  distant  furnaces  contained  on  the  average  GO  per  cent 
of  metallic  iron.  The  ores  which  were  consumed  in  furnaces  near  at 
band  a  .?rag<d  .IS  per  cent  of  iron;  but  as  these  were  relatively  unim- 
portant, the  average  of  60  i)er  cent  was  not  much  reduced.     Since  Mr. 

'  Tenth  f'ansus:  Mining  Industries,  p.  1!).  The  census  year  began  June  1, 1879,  and 
ended  May  31, 1880. 

^Minnesota  did  not  become  a  producer  of  iron  ore  until  the  year  \SS-l. 

^Wisconsin's  mining  operations  were  wholly  carried  on  in  a  different  part  of  the 
State  from  wlievc  they  now  are,  so  that  the  ligures  for  this  State  are  quite  mean- 
ingless. 

'  I"  J'Kg'i'K)  *!'•'  crushed  ore  is  agitated  in  a  jigger,  water  being  introduced  for  the 
removal  from  the  ore  of  sand,  clay,  and  earthy  matter. 

"  Eleventh  Census :  Mineral  Industries,  p.  11. 

'■'The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  Various  Parts  of  the  World, p. 23. 


(so  requires  heat 
Teased  coiisuiup- 

itl»  iroiuiiasters, 
jseiitial  qualities 
lelative  stauding 
\e  results  of  the 
ilts  of  the  very 
ff  the  ores  miued 
;alities  the  char- 
lice  his  exainiiia- 
Irroctioiis  will  be 
|ig  is  a  i)ortion  of 
cent  of  metallic 


53.99 

53.73 

4.5.28 

3«.62 

50.67 

.50.59 

.51.37 

59.57 

(-•) 

'52.56 

of  the  ores  mined 
e  been  exhausted, 
listrict  would  not 
It  is  being  tound 
washing,  jigging/ 

:  the  quality  of  the 
the  blast  furnaces 
ent."*  The  Clinton 
e  bulk  of  the  ore 
to  47  per  cent  of 
ot  so  good  as  the 
Id  from  45  to  50 

m  those  mined  iu 
snt  on  the  mineral 
lus,  the  ores  which 
i^erage  CO  per  cent 
1  furnaces  near  at 
e  relatively  unim- 
duoed.    Since  Mr. 

Bgan  Juue  1, 1879,  aud 

(.•ar  1881. 

different  i)art  of  the 
>tate  are  <|uite  inean- 

ng  introduced  for  the 


STATISTICS    OP   LAKE    (OMMEKCK. 


67 


,p.23. 


Day  made  his  report  the  outiiut  of  the  Verinilion  range  has  been  appre- 
ciably increased,  and  the  Mesabi  has  suddenly  sprung  into  prominence 
as  a  producer  «)f  iron  ore.  The  latter  now  holds  tiist  place  among  the 
ranges.  As  the  ore^whitth  are  shipped  from  these  ranges  are  richer  in 
iron  than  those  of  the  older  ranges,  the  census  figures  are  now,  periiaps, 
a  tritie  too  h»\v.  Mr.  Franklin  Jl.  Head,  an  authority  on  the  ores  of 
the  lake  district,  su])port8  me  on  this  point.  In  a  recent  letter  he  says: 
"1  think  a  fair  average  of  the  ores  shipped  w(mld  yield  in  the  furnace 
62  tons  of  iron  to  each  100  tons  of  ore." 

Unfortunately,  it  is  impossible  to  give  equally  exact  information  (!0u- 
cerning  the  impurities  in  the  ores  of  the  several  districts  as  lias  been 
given  of  the  iron  (;ontents.  I'erhaps  less  than  one  fourth  of  the  ore  of 
the  Eastern  district  can  be  classed  as  Bessemer;  mucli  of  it  contains 
large  amounts  of  sulphur,  and  some  of  it  carries  a  small  amount  of 
copper,  and  some  of  it  has  considerable  quantities  of  titanium.  The 
ore  of  the  great  Cornwall  deposits  contains  on  the  average  about  2.5 
per  cent  of  sulphur,  and  re<iuires  preliminary  roasting  iu  kilns  to  drive 
off  a  portion  of  this  and  an  excess  of  lime  in  the  blast  furnace  to  elimi- 
nate the  balance.  About  one-half  of  the  8ul])hur  is  removed  by  the 
roasting,  which  costs  about  20  cents  per  ton  for  fuel  and  handling. 
This  ore  also  contains  a  small  amount  of  copper,  but  still  large  enough 
to  be  troublesome  in  some  subsequent  metallurgical  processes.  Many 
of  the  ores  of  New  York  contain  titanium.  In  reducing  these  ores, 
greater  care  must  be  exercised  in  fluxing.  The  furnace  must  also  be 
run  under  special  conditions  of  temperature  and  pressure  of  blast, 
otherwise  titaniuiii  deposits  will  form  in  the  furnace.  This  special  con- 
dition of  lower  heat,  considered  more  favorable  to  the  smelting  of  these 
ores,  requires  more  fuel.  These  disadvantages  have  prejudiced  furnace 
managers  against  ores  containing  titanium. 

In  many  (jases  the  physical  condition  of  the  eastern  ores  is  against 
them.  Tlie  magnetites  of  New  York  and  New  .lersey  are  very  refrac- 
tory: they  are  not  easily  penetrated  by  the  reducing  gases  of  the  fur- 
nace, because  of  their  great  density.  Furnace  managers  assert  that 
they  require  more  fuel  and  care  to  smelt  them,  and  therefore,  other 
things  being  equal,  they  prefer  the  softer  hematites  of  the  lake  region. 
It  is  no  longer  found  profitable  to  mine  carbonate  ores,  for  they  must 
be  roasted  to  drive  off  (carbonic  acid  before  they  can  be  charged  into 
the  furnace.  The  cost  of  mining  is  also  excessive,  as  they  generally 
occur  iu  thin  seams  or  in  scattered  deposits. 

The  southern  ores  are  non-Bessemer  in  quality;  they  are  either  too 
high  in  phosphorus,  or  else  this  element  is  very  unequally  distributed. 
An  exception  to  this  statement  is  the  Cranberry  ore  of  western  North 
Carolina.  Other  ores  of  the  same  general  characteristics  are  thought 
to  exist  in  the  same  part  of  the  State  and  in  Eoan  Mountain,  of  eastern 
Tennessee,  and  possibly  in  tlie  northwestern  part  of  South  Carolina. 
With  these  exceptions  no  extensive  deposits  of  low-phosphorus  ores 
are  known  in  any  southern  State.  The  southern  ores  generally  contain 
considerable  quantities  of  sulphur,  and  the  percentage  of  silica  and 
lime  varies  greatly. 

Most  of  the  ores  of  the  lake  region  are  low  in  phosphorus,  and  thus 
the  larger  portion  of  them  is  of  Bessemer  (piaiity.  The  percentage  of 
Bessemer  ores  for  the  whole  lake  region  is  depressed  by  the  contribu- 
tions of  the  Menominee  range,  which  produces  mainly  non-Bessemer 
ores.  The  lake  ores  are  \ery  free  from  sulphur,  and  generally  contain 
no  titanic  acid.  Furnace  managers  have  experienced  difficulty  with 
Mesabi  ores  because  of  their  finely  comminuted  state;  but  this  trouble 


if 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMKKCE. 


may  be  considered  as  temporary  in  .character,  for  the  ^ast^f  r "ace 
managers  may  be  relied  upon  to  modify  their  furnaces  and  »»eth ods  in 
3  a  manner  as  will  enable  them  to  use  th%  large  and  valuable 
denosftsTth's  nuige.  However,  it  must  be  said  that,  after  four  years 
orexierimentation,  in  which  large  sums  of  money  have  been  spent, 
?arnX.  "S  ?s  ue'nnable  to  use  more  than  about  46  per  cent  of  Mesabi 
Se  n  the  ?  principal  mixtures.  Some  of  the  lake  ores  carry  co"«"lerab le 
moisture  and  the  average  amount  of  water  m  the  ores  mmea  in  the 
E  regimes  greater  tha'i.  in  the  ores  of  the  eastern  district  and  about 
eciual  to  that  in  the  ores  of  the  southern  region. 

't  has  been  seen  to  what  extent  the  lake  ores  have  ««Pl>l»"t«d  the 
eastern  ores.  I  have  also  shown  why  the  lake  ores  are^  preferred  by 
tho  ironmasters  of  the  East  to  the  ores  mined  nearer  to  their  furnaces. 
Amrg  t^r^eio.  s  for  this  preference  are  also  found  the  fact,  which 
make  it  desirable  to  move  the  ore.  There  then  remains  to  explain  the 
Semtliir  combination  of  conditions  which  renders  it  possible  to  mine 
Stransp^t  these  ores  almost  half  way  across  the  continent  and  yet 
^n  them  at  such  prices  that  they  are  taken  in  preference  to  the  native 

^''it'is  obvious  that  in  order  to  be  available  the  ore  must  be  found  in 
favorable  condi  ions;  it  usually  occurs  in  large  deposits  rather  than 
n  Sow  and  irregu  ar  veins  of  varying  depth.  As  a  result  it  can  be 
moTchraply  mined,  for  labor-saving  machinery  can  be  used,  and  there 
STso  miS  leTwaste  material  to  be  handled.  The  great  extent  of  the 
denositTpermTts  large  production  and  its  incidental  economies     The 

steC  ZvTiTanLaWeiV  Point;  i*  ^^  ^ ^^'to^ok  "r>ner"Cin2 
nr«  from  onen  cuts  and  to  load  ore- on  cars  trom  stock  piles.  During 
one  dav  in  the  summer  of  189G  three  steam  shovels,  working  fourteen 
hours  la  h  dug  and  raised  from  the  natural  bed  of  the  Oliver  mine  of 
?hr  MeTabi'  ranle  10,700  gross  ons  or  428  cars  of  ore.  T wenty-hve-tou 
ore  Shave  blen  continuously  loaded  from  the  ore  bf  at  the  rate  ot 
?wo  and  one-half  minutes  per  car;  the  largest  shoveP  has  loaded  as 
miirb  as  5  825  tons,  or  233  cars  in  a  day  of  10  hours. 

It  is  est  mated  that  the  average  cost  of  loading  the  ore  into  cars  from 
the  bed  of  ihSiie  is  considerably  less  than  live  cents  per  ton.    Betore 

this  region : 

lX.a  iron  M.„e»  of  Minnesota  Prepared^- J.-;  |-1S«''  ""^^""^  "'  ^'^  ^"'^'""'°  ""'"_^ 


Name  of  mine. 


Minnoaotft 

Chandler 

Burt 

Oliver 

Lake    Superior 

No.l 

Pewabic 

If orrle  


Kange. 


i  Phoa- 

Ii^n.  !  Silica,    plior- 

I  nn. 


Vermilion 
do.... 

Mesabi  ... 
do.... 


Marquette . . 
Menominee . 
Gogebic  — 


67.74  I 
64.70  ; 
6S.48  ^ 
68.  SI  i 

] 

65.00 
64.36 
63.18 


1.66 
4.26 
3.17  j 
4.53 

3.40 
3.83 
3.62 


0.048 
:  .036 
!  .034 
I    .053 

.100 
.009 
.041 


Man-  1    s„i. 
neae.iP""'- 


Alum. 


None. 
0.13 

.40  \ 
.51 

.28 
.19 
.34 


None. 
!  Trace 

':    0.006 

j     .010 

.013 
.003 
.017 


Lime. 


0.90 
1.37 
1.43 
2.10  j 

2.10 

.48 

1.74 


0.27 
.33 
.56 
.20 

.26 

1.10 

.10 


Mag- 
ne- 
sium. 


0.12 
.10 
.20 
.047 

.024 
1.35 
.13 


Moist- 
ure. 


3.00 
5.79 
8.97 
9.07 

1.15 
6.46 
9.86 


"TrhiTshovel  is  mounted  Tn  extra  heavy  railroad  car  ti- 
lt Je  ghs  90  touH,  has  hoisting  engines  of  200  Ijorsepower 
dipper  having  a  capacity  of  2i  cubic  yards,  and  will  load 
swing. 


•ucks  of 
and  is 
five  or 


standard  gauge, 
equipped  with  a 
six  tons  at  each 


iMMriilMfeiwttlMiH 


ahiMiittiiii'ritilflTfiiiiiWii'^ 


o 


blast- furnace 

11(1  methods  in 

and  valuable 

after  four  years 

ve  been  spent, 

centof  Mesabi 

ry  considerable 

mined  in  the 

strict  and  about 

supplanted  the 
re  preferred  by 

their  furnaces, 
the  facta  which 

to  explain  the 
)()ssible  to  mine 
ntinent  and  yet 
ice  to  the  native 

ust  be  found  in 

■lits  rather  than 

result  it  can  be 

used,  and  there 

eat  extent  of  the 

economies.    The 

to  dig  and  load 

[  piles.    During 

Forking  fourteen 

e  Oliver  mine  of 

Twenty-live- ton 

led  at  the  rate  of 

F  has  loaded  as 

re  into  cars  from 

per  ton.    Before 

Bssary  to  remove 

eraged  on  all  the 

f  the  Lake  Superior 
8  complete  antilyses 
producing  miues  v.f 

e  American  Institute  of 


Mng- 

Lime. 

ne- 

■inm. 

0.27 

0.12 

.33 

.10 

.56 

.20 

.20 

.047 

.26 

.024 

1.10 

1.35 

.10 

.13 

Moist- 
ure. 


2.00 
5.79 
8.97 
9.07 

1.15 
6.46 
9.86 


of  standard  gause. 
is  equipped  with  a 
or  six  tons  at  eaoh 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMKKCi':. 


«l 


ore  which  can  be  secured  from  the  mine,  would  not  exceed  5  cents  per 
ton,  and  in  all  probability  would  be  much  less.  The  cost  of  8tri|>|)iug 
and  of  raising  the  ore  i>ractically  represents  the  cost  of  mining  this 
deposit,  and  these  items  combined  aggregate  less  than  10  (!ento  per 
gross  ton.' 

Specialized  transportation  facilities  have  been  a  most  iniportant  fac- 
tor in  enabling  the  ore  of  the  Lake  Bu])erior  region  to  compete  at  dis- 
tant points.  Several  ore  roads-  ecjuipped  with  cars  designed  for  the 
ore  trattlc  have  been  constructed,'  and  expensive  terminals  have  been 
built.  At  the  shipping  ports  these  consist  of  docks  built  as  high  as  r»7if 
feet  above  the  water,  and  so  constructed  that  the  ore  trains  can  be  run 
out  upon  them.*  The  docks  are  equipiied  with  i)o(?kets  having  a  capac- 
ity of  from  65  to  ISO  tons,  into  which  the  ore  is  unloaded  from  the  cars 
by  means  of  drop  bottoms.  From  the  pockets  of  the  dock  the  ore  falls 
through  iron  chutes  into  the  holds  of  the  vessels,  which  are  run  up 
alongside  of  the  dock. 

By  these  appliances  handling  of  the  ore  is  avoided  from  the  time  the 
ore  leaves  the  mines  until  it  reaches  the  receiving  port,  where  it  is 
shoveled  into  buckets  lowered  into  the  ship's  hold.  Very  little  manual 
labor  is  required  in  these  operations.  It  is  necessary  to  start  the  ore 
by  jamming  it  with  crowbars  at  the  opening  of  the  pocket  into  the 
chute,  and  it  is  also  necessary  to  push  it  occasionally  with  poles,  but 
upon  the  whole  the  ore  moves  down  by  force  of  gravity  alone.  In  the 
hold  of  the  vessel  the  ore  is  generally  trimmed.  For  this  there  is 
charged  2i  cents  per  gross  ton. 

The  ore-receiving  docks  at  the  lower  lake  ports  are  equally  well  fitted 
for  the  work  Jihey  perform.  They  are  etiuipped  with  machinery  well 
adapted  to  the  rapi<l  removal  of  the  ore  from  the  holds  of  the  vessels  at 
a  very  small  cost.  The  outlay  for  shoveling  the  ore  into  buckets,  which 
are  lowered  into  the  holds  of  vessels,  is  the  chief  item.  It  is  now  9  cents 
per  long  ton,  being  done  by  manual  labor.  In  addition  to  this  there  is 
the  dock  charge  of  5  cents,  which  makes  the  total  expense  of  discharg- 
ing ore  14  cents  per  gross  ton.  With  the  improved  equipment  of  some 
of  the  docks,  the  ore  in  buckets  is  raised  from  the  bold,  carried  back 
350  feet  on  the  dock,  and  dumped  at  a  total  cost  (including  labor,  depre- 
ciation of  plant,  interest,  and  fuel)  of  from  1  to  IJ  cents  per  ton.  Most 
of  the  ore,  instead  of  being  dumped  on  the  stock  pile,  is  now  loaded 


'  From  the  Iron  Age,  Vol.  LVIII,  No.  16,  p.  725. 

^The  iroii-uro  mines  of  each  of  tlie  Ave  ranges  constituting  the  lake  region  are  situ- 
ated some  distanei^  from  tho  lakes.  The  nearest  mines  of  the  Marquette  range  are  12 
miles  front  a  shipping  port;  none  of  the  mines  of  the  Menominee  range  are  less  than 
41  miles  from  a  shipping  port.  The  Gogebic  range  is  about  10  miles  from  the  lake, 
but  the  nearest  shipping  point  is  hS9  miles  distant.  The  mines  of  the  Minnesota 
ranges  are  still  fartlier  removed  from  the  lake,  the  Tower  Mines  of  the  Vermilion 
range  being  69  miles  from  the  shipping  port  of  Two  Harbors,  and  those  at  Ely  about 
20  miles  farther  removed.  The  ores  of  the  Mesabi  are  carrief^  about  the  saine  dis- 
tances as  tliose  of  the  Vermilion  range.  Two  Harbors  and  IX  ath,  Minn.,  and  Supe- 
rior, Wis.,  are  the  shipping  ports  of  this  range. 

"  For  the  transportation  of  the  ores  of  Minnesota,  over  400  miles  of  standard-gauge 
railroad  have  been  constructed  through  what  was  a  trackless  wilderness  ten  years 
ago.  For  a  statement  of  the  equipment  of  these  railroads,  see  Appendix  III,  Table 
VIII.  In  1896  the  ore  roads  of  the  old  ranges  were  increased  in  number  by  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Lake  Superior  and  Ishpeming  Railway.  The  dock  of  this  company  is 
at  Presque  Isle,  3  miles  north  of  Marquette  Harbor  proper.  During  1897  this  road 
hauled  about  1,100,000  tons  of  ore. 

^  There  are  now  on  Lakes  Michigan  and  Superior  21  of  these  docks,  having  a  total 
of  4,438  pockets,  with  a  combined  storage  capacity  of  617,260  gross  tons,  erected  at  a 
cost  of  about  $6,800,000.  They  are  located  as  follows :  .5  at  Two  Harbors,  2  at  Dnluth, 
1  at  Superior,  3  at  Ashland,  4  at  Marquette,  5  at  Escanaba,  and  1  at  Gladstone.  For 
particulars  about  these  docks,  see  Appendix  III,  Table  VII. 


70 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKK    COMMEKCE. 


j'l 

1! 


1' 


I 
I 


I 

kl 


directly  into  cars  and  carried  by  railroad  to  furnac.s  located  ftou,  00  to 
'^Thul^n^J^anelS  bllsCl'directed  .nerely  to  the  If  or  which  is 

"TJ%Vo  HaS»""":iS  Z:  of  bar,,  ore  were  loa,led  iu  seventy 

^s£-xio  »s:!^f  ?- V^ii^3E 

'"l\'?b'e^!r■S'^Oo,'.■,eaut,  w.i,.„  i»  to  be  ''.J-f  '  .■■; -;-t™ 

the 'peninsular  and  Oriental  Steamship  Company.'    It  would  be  less 
tJ  the  shelter  deck.    This^emks^ononucalhandhng  and_tnminin„ 

ated  if  .■oiupariscn  is  ina.U' with  t^«  «' "^«  ™™^^ey ^^^^  i"  ^ae«°« 

early  days  on  the  Alayque^teranRe  the  oie  was  co^^^^^^  ^^^ 

and  .lumped  on  a  dock.  From  the  dock  J^^f  ".y^..^**  *!,^"",i  the  cars  w.-re  drawn  out 
ship's  crew.  Alte.-  a  time  a  tramroa.!  v.  s  b  lit  on  ^^'^^^^^  f,,,^  ^hjch  it 
upon  the  dock  by  mnles  where  the  «\^;;,;\«^;"XwXve  the  rudimentary  pocket, 
ciuld  easily  be  loaded  outo  the  ship.    luthstpronw^^^^^^  ^j^.^,^  ^^^  ^^^ 

It  was  not  long  after  the  construction  of  this  roa.tnattnep  ^^^^^^^ 

such  an  important  adjunct  of  *»?« '^"'^itlrrffrom  the^mines"  f  the  Marquette  range 
Ko  s^^ii^^:oT5"hrs"am^  SmSetsSoJ^andling  ore  which  now  obtains 
^■fTSu  ?epesents  a  vast  improvement  over  thc>  primitive  m^^^^^^^^^^  were  Jn 

-O^^f^rior^r^Sl^aX  .i=S^^  ^«  back  on  the  dock, 

and  emptied  on  the  stock  pile.         _ 

'Report  of  Commissioner  ot  Navigation,  1894,  p.  ^&. 


mmmM 


iMiMi 


•llHi 


(v 


lilted  fVom  00  to 

lliibor  wliich  is 
istnicted.  But 
[low  transporta- 
jiii  loadiiiii:  and 
|w  Idst.  Vessels 
srally  triu^  that 
)nuninuted  ores 
Jhe  pockot  down 
jaded  in  sevonty 

led  in  seventy 
rirgo  of  .'ijAOO  to 
There  is  also 
the  a])pliances 
iL>en  unloaded  in 

ed  in  connection 

Pittsburg,  Bes- 

ctt'd  the  largest 

is  lioped  that  in 

lours.    The  new 

e  vessel.    When 

lie  i>lant  will  be 

I  is  attained  ves- 

seven  hours.    It 

t  that  a  vessel's 

'ing  passage,  and 

18  a  large  saving. 

le  the  vessel  is  in 

iterially  reduced, 

gined — this  item, 

iiiug  the  ships  of 

It  would  be  less 

es  warranted  the 
also  the  expendi- 
sportation.  Ves- 
structed  for  this 
sually  divided  by 
ihe  water  bottom 
ing  and  trimming 

iS,  Vie  better  appreci- 
B  prevailed.  In  the 
be  mines  in  wagons 
L  to  the  ship  by  the 
cms  were  drawn  out 
proii,  from  which  it 
nidimentary  pocket, 
kets,  which  are  now 
i;.  an  expe'  iniental 
the  Marquette  range 
•e  which  now  obtains 

lods  which  were  in 
s  lifted  from  the  hold 
Ml  back  on  the  dock, 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    (  OMMKItCK. 


71 


of  cargo.  The  strength  usually  obtained  by  transvcrHc  bulliiicads  is, 
in  tiie  main,  secured  by  deoli  beams,  extra  shell  phiting,  stanchions, 
and  intercostals.  Several  of  the  iron  ore  companies  have  built  fleets 
adapted  to  the  requirements  of  the  ore  iiiisiness.  The  Hesseiiicr  Hteaiii- 
ship  Company  has  a  tieut  of  nine  large  steamers  and  iiiiu;  barges,  all  of 
recent  design  and  constrticiion.  These  vessels  have  an  aggregate 
gross  tonnage  of  58,.VJ5  tons  and  a  total  net  registered  tonnage  of 
48,<lliO  tons,  and  have  an  actual  carrying  (capacity  of  7!>,4<)0  gross  tons 
on  a  mean  draft  of  16  feet  and  10  inches.  The  Minnesota  Stcamslii|t 
Conipany  has  a  fleet  ca]Kil>Ie  of  carrying  .'<2,4r)0  gross  tons  per  trip  ou 
a  draft  of  17  feet.' 

It  was  estimated  that  tlu^  floating  e(|uipment  on  the  (rreat  Lakes 
•January  1,  1890,  employed  iirimarily  in  the  transportation  of  ore,  iiad 
a  value  of  $l(5,080,li()7,-  and  it  has  siii(;e  been  largely  increased. 

The  ores  of  the  Lake  Superior  i«'gion  have  (|ualities  that  render  them 
very  valuable  to  the  iron  masters  of  the  iron  and  steel  producing  districts 
of  tlie  Kastern  States,  and  therefore  it  bei-oiiies  desirable  to  move  them. 
It  is  the  perfection  of  the  transportation  facilities  that  renders  this 
possible.  Ktt'ective  terminal  tV  ics,  together  with  efficient  instru- 
ments of  carriage,  have  made  -le  the  very  low  freight  rates  that 
have  prevailed  and  without  whu  the  ore  c(Mild  not  be  moved.  During 
the  navigation  season  of  lSi»(!  large  quantities  of  ore  were  carried  from 
the  head  of  Lake  Superior  to  the  lower  lake  jiorts,  a  distance  of  889 
statute  miles,'  for  GO  cents  i>er  gross  ton,  which  is  ei|uivalent  to  a  ton- 
mile  charge  of  but  0.(i7  of  a  mill.'  This  rate,  although  very  low,  was 
much  reduced  during  the  summer  of  1897,  the  rate  being  but  r)0  cents 
for  some  weeks.    This  rate  is  ecjual  to  but  O.oO  of  a  mill. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  a  ton-mile  charge  of  3  mills  on  railroads 
is  regarded  as  something  exceptional,  it  will  be  realized  how  very  low 
the  lake  rates  on  iron  ore  are.  Mr.  Carnegie  states  that  the  directors 
of  the  new  mineral  road  between  Conneaut,  on  Lake  Krie,  and  Pittsburg 
hope  to  reduce  the  cost  of  hauling  ore  and  coal  below  3  mills  per  ton.' 
If  lake  rates  were  as  high  as  rail  rates  the  ore  of  Minnesota  could  not 
be  moved.    When  it  is  known  that  the  price  of  red  hematites  of  Besse- 

'  In  iho  subjoined  table  the  eiinipment  of  several  of  the  largest  ore  fleets  may  be 
found: 


Name  oltlt'et. 


UesHfiiier  SteiiiiiHhip  Co. : 

Nine  st  earners 

Nine  barni's 

One  HteunKii'  (liiiihiin;;) 

Two  bur^eH  (bnililing) 

Minnesota  Steuniitliip  Vu. : 

Nine  Hteiiinera 

Five  barges 

One  Helioonor  (bnililing) 

Cleveland  CliHu  Iron  Co.: 

Seven  steamers 

Two  Hcbooners 

One  steamer  (bnililinn)  

Lake  Superior  Iron  Co. :  Six  steamers 

Menonilnee  Transit  Co. :  Five  steamers 

Mutual  Trnnsportntion  Co.:  Four  steamers. 


Net  reK-  I    Aetna! 
isfered      tarrying    V"'".' 
tonnage,    caiiarity.    """"• 


Monn 


25, 080 
■.2:1,  540 


19, 7.15 
i;i.  620 


7,  ;t29 


8.  750 
0,  ;)76 
X,  -.Hi 


41,700 

37,  700 

6,  (125 

14,  000 

;iO,  250 

22,  200 

8.000 

18,750 
1),  175 
5,750 

HI.  116 

15.  U25 
13,  747 


Ft.  In. 

'  16     10 
I  16     10 

le  10 

16    10 


16  10 
lU  10 
10     10 


-  Blue  Book  of  American  .Shipping  (1896),  j).  203. 

^  This  is  the  distance  given  in  Eleventh  Ceusus,  Transportation  Business,  Part  II, 
p.  291,  from  Duluth  to  Ashtabula,  the  chief  receiving  port  of  Lake  Erie. 

^Out  of  this  very  low  rate  the  vessels  paid  '2!r  to  3  cents  for  trinniiing  and  16  cents 
per  ton  for  discharging  cargoes.    Freight  rates  and  charges  are  for  gross  tons. 

"  Iron  Age,  Vol.  LVIII,  No.  14,  p.  622. 


r* 


73 


STATIHTKS    OK    LAKi;    CoMMEKCK. 


iiior  quality  in  Cleveliuid  (luriiiR  tli«!  early  Mining  of  I8»r>  was  but  *-.8U, 
and  that  the  price  of  this  ore  varied  from  K4  to  )!<4.1ir. -  in  the  Huuimer 
and  autumn  of  IHIUJ,  and  in  1SJ)7  fell  lielow  is*).",  prices, '  it  will  be  under 
stood  how  absolutely  important  it  is  that  freiglit  rates  should  be  low. 
If  the  ton  mile  rate  were  ;5  mills- which  is  regarded  as  exceptionally 
low  on  railroads— the  freight  charge  for  transporting  ore  trom  Duluth 
to  Cleveland  would  be  *2.r»4— a  rate  higher  than  the  tralllc  could  bear. 
In  view  of  the  facts  that  have  been  presented  it  Might  not  to  be  diffl- 
cult  to  understand  win  the  ores  of  the  Lake  Superior  region  are  sup- 
planting the  ores  of  tlie  eastern  region.  This  substitutum  liiis  been 
goin-  on  rapidlv,  and  should  the  .h  maiid  Ibr  steel  continue  to  increase 
at  the  expense  of  that  for  iron,  tins  substitution'  will  persist  unless 
methods  be  discovered  by  which  good  steel  can  be  nuule  cheaply  trom 
ores  that  can  not  now  be  used  to  advantage. 


Appendix  111. 

TAIll.KS    IM:LAT1N(1    T(»    LAKK  TUANSPORTATION    AM)    THE    IKON-ORE 

1NI>1:STRV. 

Tmii.e  I. 

ShljivientH  of  iron  ore  J.  "'«  Ihe  Lakv,  Superior  region. ' 


Year. 


i'ruvloiiiito 

1851 

1854 

IRST) 

185» 

Itv" 

IHSS 

1H59 

1860 

IHfll 

ISBl! 

■863 


IjOII);  toiiH. 


Yuiiv.         Long  tnim. 


Vi'ar.         Long  toim. 


7R,  («S 
3,  IHMI 

;i6.  'M.. 
2",  «4« 


(55 


18(14.. 
18BS.. 
18)111.. 
1867.. 
I8<i>'    . 

ISf'K. 
iH  I     . 
18,'. 
18T-... 

18. :i.. 

1M71.. 
1875.. 


L'4:i,  127  ' 
2:t6,  -nm 
278,  *!l« 
473.  riB7 
4»1,  44f| 
617,444 
8:io,  1140 
77tt,  fi»7 
»iiO,m>l 
1,  l«2,4.i« 
01»,  5.')7 
891,  257 


1876.. 
1877.. 
1878  . 
187(1.. 
18811. 


il'.CJ,  764 
1,II14,«87 
1,111,11(1 
1,37.5,6111 
1,(HI8,647 

1881 2,314,502 

1882 2,1I6B.  37.-. 

188:i  2,341,227 

1884 2,518,048 

1885 2,45B,548 

1886 3,5U2,.')70 


Year.      <  Loi.i;  toD«. 


4,738,903 

5,  (123,  279 
7,3110,387 
9, 003.  701 
7.01)4,981 
9, 073,  568 

6,  085,  795 
7, 755, 494 

10,429,037 

9, 934, 440 

1807 12,469,638 


1887 

1888 

1889  

18IH) 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1805. 
1890. 


I 


«  Xlie  ttanreH  ^iv.'Xi  in  tliin  iable  iiicli.(l«  th«  uinounts  .Ml.ii.i.ert  by  nlliBil  ronte»;  the  qmi  i  itles  1  is 
niM.">rl..l  nio,  however.  .•.(U.tivdv  miimi...rtii..t.  lu  1892  tlu'  nll-inil  «liipi>»''><;  «;i'.™  5-'5'»«  I-'"'"* 
",»       ,   1893    lb]    27,  in  1804.  1.13.874,  in    805,  194,127;  in  1896  290,410.  «n.l  in  181^7,  P».09J  «"'"«/«»«• 


om  Mineral  Kfnoiin^s  «(  the  Uniutd  Staten  (1892), 

"mainV'tiie  tilr''iirV.»'iin"l893-9B  were  laki>n  from  thi-  lilnc  Hook  of  Anieri.un  Slii|i|>inf{  (1897)   p.  118,, 

an;iiw  1897  from  The  Iron  Tnulr  li.wi«w,     Lake  Khii.n.ents  of  ir.m  ore  a«  u.ven  by  ll-rljinl.lne  in 


trail 

tons — , ,  ,      , 

Tlie  all. rail  cliipiiienlH  for  18112  were  obtained 

1;;  PM.Iwt^:f  i;^/i;i^8^n  Variouri^artaortli^-V^oHaip:  11«)  are^^  In  1892.  8,545,313 
BroHK  tons;  in  1893,  .^836,749;  ami  in  1894,  7,621,620  KroHH  tons.  ,.  .■  „  \i,„„„.  ,,„ 
*  Tbe  «r«t  experiment.-,!  Hbijmient  of  iron  ore  from  the  Lake  Superior  reKion  "«« '™'"  "  «  ^"f^  '  "« 
ranee  an.)  ...e  irre.l  in  1850;  tut  shipments  from  thinranue  for commeromrpnriMmeu rti.l  not  1>pk m  niitll 
18."J!  Se  M  "eral  UeHoareea  of  thI,  Unite.l  States  (189?).  p.  49.  The  H.ipmenta  previous  tol854  re 
Eiven  ill  Mineral  Keaoiirees  of  tlie  I'niteil  Slates  (1889  ami  1890),  p. 27:  lor  the  years  18d4  to  1886,  ibid. 
fl886  15  f or  188Tai  a  1888  ibi.l.  (1888),  p.  17;  for  1889  to  18M,  ibid.  (1892),  l.,38;  for  the  years  1893 
to  1896,'  illm.  Hook  of  Aineri.iii  Shipping  (1897),  p.  118;  for  the  year  1897,  Mr.  A.  I.  FimUey,  editor  of 
The  Iron  Tnido  Ileview.  ^^ 

TaiVol\'LVli:'No:  2^  p''l26X.l  Vol.  LVIII.  No.  13.  p.  595.  In  1894  BeBsemer 
standard  ores  sold  ior  $2.(;5  per  ton  and  non-Hesseui.-r  for  $2  per  ton  at  lower  lake 
ports.     (Ibid.,  Vol.  LVII,  No.  1,  p.  24.)  ,    ^  t    i     ii  •  * 

^  The  prices  of  some  of  the  stiiiulard  lake  ores  in  1897  delivered  at  Luke  Lne  ports 


■were  as  follows : 
Minnesota  hard  ore,  cruslied 

Chandler 

Norrie 

Lake  Angeline,  hard  ore 

Burt  Mine,  Me.sabi 

Chapin 


$3.11 

2.92i 

2.65 

3.46 

2.66 

""■;;■";■"■";;■..;■■.;;■. 2.40 

Red  heniiititesV non-iiosstimer  quality $2. 00  to  2. 50 

*  There  is  no  likelihood  that  the  ores  of  this  region  will  be  speedily  exhausted.    Mr. 
John  Birkinbine  says  of  the  Mesabi:  "No  other  iron  range  thus  far  discovered  pos- 


"  U 


)  wHft  but  $J.8U,' 
-'  ill  tliu  Hiiuimur 
it  will  be  under- 
4  siiould  be  low. 
18  exceptionally 
tie  tVoiii  Duluth 
aflic  could  bear, 
it  not  to  be  diffl- 
region  are  sup- 
iition  liiiH  been 
;inue  to  increase 
II  perHiHt  unleHS 
de  cheaply  from 


THK    IKON-OUK 


Vciir.        LuM!  tons. 


1887 4,7H8,lM);i 

1«8H r>,(l2U,279 

1889 7,3110,387 

18(»ll 9,oo:i.7oi 

18UI 7,0U4,981 

18il2 9,«7:t,568 

18!);) fl,  085,  795 

1894 7,755,494 

1805 10,429,01)7 

1890 9,934,440 

1807 12,469,838 

I 

teH;  tliei|iiiiiititie8  tints 
iH'Iits  were  525,708  (jroBS 
I  1807,  253,093  );i'i>"h  tons, 
lie  UiiiK'd  Stutett  (1892), 
1  Slii|il>lii({  (1897),  I).  118,. 
(liven  by  Birkinhiiie  in 
illowH :  ill  1892,  8,545,313 

waa  from  tlio  Mar<innt.te 
IMiseu  dill  not  beijln  until 
int«  previous  to  1854  are 
9  yean  1854  to  1886,  ibid, 
p.  38:  fortbe  years  1893 
.A.I.  Fiiidley,  editor  of 


).    lu  1804  Begsemer 
er  ton  at  lovrer  lake 

(1  lit  Lake  Urio  ports 

$3.11 

2.92J 

2.65 

3.46 

2.66 

2.40 

$2.00  to  2.50 

dily  exhausted.    Mr. 
I  far  discovered  pos- 


'im^ 


r 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/>^.4. 


1.0    ^1^  1^ 

M 

L2^  il-4    11.6 


I.I 


^BlWIPK"' 


Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporation 


•y 


\ 


4 


sj 


<> 


4i 


6^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  145S0 

(716)  872-4503 


'^ 


wmtmmmmmmm 


^ 


<^4k 


r 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Jm>» 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


^ 


mm 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


73 


Tahi.e  II. 


Produciion  of  iron  ore  in  the  lake  districta  of  the  several  States  of  the  Lake  Superior 
region,  in  the  lake  region  a^  a  whole,  in  the  Inited  States,  and  imporlatioits  into  the 


tn 
United  States. 


[Lonjt  tons.) 


Year.        !  Michigan,  j  Michigan. 


TJnknowti 

1854 

18.-)5 

1866 

1857 

1858 i 

1859 

1860 

1861 ' 

1862 

186H 

1864 

1865 1 

1866 ; 

1867 1 

1868 


1870  . . 

1871  . . 
1872.. 
1873.. 

1874  .. 

1875  . . 
1876.. 

1877  . . 

1878  . . 
1870  . . 

1880  .. 


01, 850 

;j,  000 

1,449 

6,790 

25,  «2fl 

22, 870 

68,  832 

114,401 

40.009 

124, 160 

203,  055 

243, 137 

187, 106 

288. 806 

457,  642 

510,  522 

629,  532 

861,403 

813,  379 

052, 077 


1881  

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1804 

1805 

1896 


25,646 

22,  876 

68,832 

114,  401 

114,258 

124, 169 

203, 055 

247,059 

193, 758 

206.  718 

465,  504 

510.  522 

639,097 

859, 507 

813,084 

948,  553 

1,195,234 

935, 488 

910, 840 

993,311 

1, 025, 129 

1, 125, 093 

1, 414, 182 

1 1.640,814 

:  1, 073, 455 

2, 123,  404 

2, 672, 287 

2,518,048 

2, 22.5, 148 

2, 203,  599 

3, 175, 950 

'I,  033,  681 

4,113,80b 

5,  8,56, 160 

7.141,656 

«,  J27, 001 

7,  543, 544 

4. 668, 324 

4,419,074 

5,812,444 

5, 700, 738 


Lake  dis- 
trict of 
Wisconsin. 


I  I     Total  for 

Minnesota.    I  lie  Lake  Su- 
perior region. 


Total  for   I 

tlie  Uuitcd  i 

States.     1 


■Imnorta- 
tfons. 


14 
107 
276 
62 
34 
55, 
150, 
400, 
381, 
708, 
549, 
910, 
765, 
426, 
305, 
590, 
575, 


[000] \ 

143  i/ 
',911 
1,020 
1, 175 

612 

181 

294 

104 

14U 

937 

350 

465 

379 

367 

Oil 

081 

743 


[000 1 


.1 


62. 

227, 

307, 

394, 

511, 

864, 

891, 

045, 

1,255, 

1,  499, 

2.968. 

3, 866, 

4,  283, 


122 
075 
948 
910 
953 
508 
910 
105 
405 
927 
463 
4,'53 
880 


25,  646 

22, 876 

68,  832 

114,  401 

114,258 

124, 169 

203,  055 

247,  059 

193,  758 

296.  713 

465,504 

510,  522 

039, 097 

859, 507 

813, 984 

948,  553 

1,195,2.34 

935, 488 

910, 840 

993,  311 

1,026.129 

1,125,093 

1, 414, 182 

/[1, 640, 0001 

\  1, 987, 598 

2,321,315 

2, 948, 307 

8, 580, 223 

2,321,882 

2, 485, 855 

3,  634,  201 

4,  728,  695 
5, 00«,  896 
7, 518,  614 

8,  944,  031 
7,621,465 

9,  564,  388 

6,  594,  618 

7.  692, 548 
10,  268,  978 
10,  666,  359 


2, 873, 459 


3, 031, 1-91 


4,500,000 


l}l7,120,a62l{- 

7,974,000  , 
9, 744, 000  ' 


8,  656, 330 
7, 600, 000 


14. 518, 041 
16,036,043 
14,  691, 178 
16,2il€,666 
11,587,629 
11,879.679 
15, 967. 614 
16, 005, 449 


I 


27,000 
62,000 
69,  000 
83,000 
26,000 
42,000 
29,000 
284,141 

"493,' 408 
782,  887 
589,665 
400, 875 
487, 820 
390,786 

1, 039,  483 

1,194,301 
587, 470 
853, 673 

1, 246, 830 
912, 864 
806,585 
526. 951 
167, 807 
624,163 
682,806 


NOTES  TO  TABLK  II. 

Up  to  the  census  year  1880  the  statistics  given  in  tbe  census  reports  covering  the 
production  of  iron  ore  in  the  United  States,  and  those  of  the  production  in  the  sev- 
eral States  in  particular,  are  very  nnsatisfiictory.  For  the  reports  of  1860, 1860,  ana 
1870  the  statistics  of  production  were  very  large';'  oUi,ained  from  the  statements 
made  by  the  managers  of  the  various  blast  furnaces  as  to  the  amount  of  ore  con- 
sumed. The  tables  do  not  specify  in  what  States  the  ore  was  produced,  but  merely 
give  the  amounts  reported  as  being  consumed  by  the  blast  furnaces.  This  being 
the  case,  in  giving  the  production  of  the  States  in  the  early  years  I  have  used, 

sesses  greater  apparent  reserves.  Conservative  estimates  formulated  from  the  rec- 
ords of  properties  now  exploited  and  worked,  together  with  others  determined  by 
systematic  explorations  and  analyses,  show  that  the  Mesabi  range  can  supply  ore 
('which  will  equal  in  average  iron  and  phosphorous  contents)  double  the  quantity 
(or  200,000,000  gross  tons)  which  the  entire  Lake  Superior  region  has  produced  in  nlty 
years.  In  this  estimate  there  are  not  included  a  number  of  properties  which  have 
been  imperfectly  explored."  (The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  1895,  p.  16.}  Since  Mr. 
Birkinbine  wrote  many  new  deposits  have  been  explored  and  his  estimates  must 
now  be  regarded  as  falling  far  short  of  the  amount  of  ore  this  range  contains. 


74 


STATISTICS   OF   LAKE   COMMERCE. 


wherever  it  has  bt-eii  possible,  the  statistics  givcu  in  Mineral  Resources  of  the 
United  States,  as  they  seemed  the  more  reliable.  The  census  figures  for  1880  appear 
to  be  accurate,  and  as  it  was  uocessary  to  use  tliem  in  some  cases  they  iire  given  in 
all  cases  where  ihcy  occur.  The  only  objection  to  them  is  the  fact  that  th(\v  are  not 
for  the  calendar  year.  These  figures  are  here  inclosed  iu  brackets.  It  is  to  be 
remembered  tliat  tlie  census  year  1880  ended  May  31, 1880.  In  other  cases,  unless 
otherwise  stated,  the  year  here  referred  to  is  the  calendar  year. 

The  tignrcs  of  the  column  headed  "Total  for  the  IJaited  States"  were  obtained  from 
the  following  sources:  For  the  year  1860,  Eighth  Census,  Manufactures,  p.  clxxvii; 
for  1870,  Ninth  Census,  Industry  and  Wealth,  p.  768;  for  1875,  Tenth  Census,  Mining 
Industries,  p.  33;  for  1880,  Eleventh  Census,  Mineriil  Industries,  p.  12;  for  18S1, 1882, 
and  1884,  Tenth  Census,  Mining  Industries,  p.  33;  for  1885,  Mineral  Resources  of  the 
United  States  (1885),  p.  188,  and  for  1889  and  the  succefnling  years  down  t,o  1896,  The 
Production  of  Iron  Ores  iu  the  United  States  (1895),  p.  10.  The  statement  for  1896 
was  obtained  from  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  1896,  by  ,)ohu  Berkinbine,  p.  23. 
In  some  cises  short  tons  have  been  converted  into  long  tons.  The  compilers  of  the 
Ninth  Census  think  the  production  of  1870  as  given  is  underestimated  by  about  eight 
or  nine  hundred  thousand  tons  (Ninth  Census,  Industry  and  Wealth,  p.  749).  Kor  the 
years  1875  and  1881  the  amounts  given  are  estimates  uuide  by  Mr.  I.  Loirthian  Bell, 
and  the  amounts  given  for  1882,  1884,  and  1885  are  estimates  made  by  Mr.  .lames  M. 
Swank,  general  manager  of  the  American  Iron  and  Steel  Association.  The  figures 
of  im]>ortation  into  the  United  States  from  1872  to  1891  were  obtained  from  Mineral 
Resources  of  the  United  States  (1891),  p.  41;  from  1892  to  1894,  from  The  Production 
of  Iron  Ores  in  Various  Parts  of  the  World,  p.  198;  for  1895,  from  The  Production  of 
Iron  Ores  in  the  United  States,  p.  25,  and  for  1896  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in 
1896,  by  .John  Berkinbine,  p.  26. 

In  givmg  the  production  of  tlie  States  forming  the  lake  region  it  was  thought  best 
to  include  only  the  ore  mined  within  this  region;  Wisconsin's  product  is  therefore 
somewhat  less"  than  that  usually  r(>ported  for  the  State.  The  figures  of  production 
up  to  1889  were  obtained  from  Mineral  Resources  (1889  and  1890),  p.  30,  and  since 
1889,  by  assigning  to  Wisconsin  the  difference  between  the  tntal  output  of  the  Lake 
Superior  region  and  the  combined  output  of  Michigan  and  M.unesota.  Michigan's 
output,  as  it  appears  in  the  first  column,  is  given  in  the  Geological  Survey  of  Michi- 
gan (1869-1873),  Vol.  I,  Part  I,  Atlas  Plate  12.  It  is  not  contended  that  these  figures 
are  exact.  To  some  small  extent  the  figures  of  the  second  column  are  of  my  own 
deduction.  Up  to  the  time  when  Wisconsin  became  a  producer  I  have  given  Michi- 
gan credit  for  the  total  yield  of  the  Lake  Superior  region.  In  Mineral  Resources 
(1883),  p.  116,  it  is  stated  that  the  total  output  for  the  lake  region  for  1856  and  the 
previous  years  was  86,319  gross  tons;  this  might  also  be  placed  in  the  second  col- 
umn. It  will  be  noted  that  this  amount  does  not  correspond  with  the  first  colnmn. 
From  1880  to  1889  the  difterence  between  the  total  amount  mined  in  the  lake  region 
and  the  combined  output  of  Minnesota  and  Wisconsin  is  assigned  to  Michigan. 
Since  1889  it  is  given  as  reported  in  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  the  United  States 
(1895),  p.  10;  for  1896  see  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  1896,  by  John  Birkinbine, 
p.  23. 

No  ore  was  raised  in  Wisconsin  from  the  mines  of  the  lake  region  up  to  the  close 
of  the  census  year  1880;  there  was,  however,  some  ore  mined  in  this  district  during 
the  calendar  year  1880.  For  Wisconsin's  output  from  1880  to  1888  see  Mineral 
Resources  (1889  and  1890),  p.  31.  Since  1888  that  portion  of  the  total  production  of 
the  lake  region  not  belonging  to  either  Michigan  or  Minnesota  has  been  assigned  to 
Wisconsin.  For  Minnesota's  yield  of  ore  from  1884  to  1888  see  Mineral  Resources 
(1889  and  1890),  p.  31,  and  from  1888  to  1895,  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  the  United 
States  (1895),  p.  10;  and  for  1896,  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  1896,  by  John 
Birkinbine,  p.  23. 

Down  to  1882  the  figures  for  the  production  of  the  lake  region  as  a  whole  were 
taken  from  Mineral  Resources  (1883),  p.  116;  for  the  years  from  1883  to  1888  the 
figures  are  those  of  Mineral  Resources  (1891),  p. 38;  for  the  years  1888.to  1894,  Pro- 
duction of  Iron  Ores  in  Various  Parts  of  the  World  (1894),  p.  195;  for  the  produc- 
tion of  1895,  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  the  United  States  (1895),  p.  12;  and  for 
the  production  of  189(5,  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  1896,  by  John  Birkinbine,  p.  8. 


Resources  of  the 
es  for  1880  uppear 
they  iire  given  ia 
I  that  th(\v  are  not 
kets.  It  is  to  be 
thiT  cases,  unless 

ere  obtained  from 
Dture»<,  p.  clxxvii; 
th  Census,  Mining 
12;  for  1881, 1882, 
Resoiirct'H  of  the 
ilown  to  1896,  The 
itatement  for  1896 
Bcrkinbine,  p.  23. 
d  eompilcrs  of  the 
ted  by  about  eight 
.p.  749).  Korthe 
I.  Lowthian  Bell, 
»  by  Mr.  .)  antes  M. 
tidn.  The  figures 
ined  from  Mineral 
in  The  Prodnction 
rhe  Production  of 
n  of  Iron  Ore.s  in 

wiis  thought  best 
oiluct  is  therefore 
ires  of  production 
,  p.  30,  and  since 
utpui  of  the  Lake 
isota.  Michigan's 
1  .Survey  of  Michi- 
that  these  tigares 
iin  are  of  my  own 
have  given  Mlchi  • 
Hineral  Resources 
I  for  1866  and  the 
in  the  second  col- 
the  first  column, 
in  the  lake  region 
ned  to  Michigan, 
the  United  States 
John  Birkinbine, 

on  up  to  the  close 
lis  district  during 
1888  see  Mineral 
atal  production  of 
3  been  assigned  to 
i-fineral  Resources 
Ores  in  the  United 
in  1896,  by  John 

1  as  a  whole  were 
1  1883  to  1888  the 
1888.to  1894,  Pro- 
•  ;  for  the  produc- 
!95),  p.l2;  and  for 
u  Birkinbine,  p.  8. 


STATISTICS   OP    LAKE    COMMERCE, 


Tablk  III. 


75 


Production  of  iron  ore  in  the  Cornwall  On  Hills  of  PennBylraniaandthe  Lake  Champlain 
district  of  yew  York,  in  Xetv  York,  Neiv  Jersey,  PennsyUuma,  and  Ohio,  and  the  total 
for  these  States. 

[Long  tons.] 


Tear. 


Coruwall 
Ore  Hills. 


i      Lake      I  ; 

1  Champlain  ;  New  York,  i 
I    district. 


1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869 

1870 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874 

187B 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890.... 
1891.... 
1892.... 
1893.... 
1894.... 
1895.... 
1896.... 


11  montJiM.  \ 
165,015 
114,803 
216, 660 
202,755 
165,843 
173,  42J  i 
174,408  \ 
176, 055 
193,  317 
169,  782 
112,  429 
98, 925 
11)7, 902 
171, 589 
179,  299 
268,  488 

231, 173 

249,  050 
300, 681 
363,  i44 
412,  ',120 
508,  804 
688, 054 
667, 210 
722, 917 
769,  020 
686,  302 
663,  746 
634, 714 
439, 705 
371, 710 
614,  598 
463, 059 


New 
Jersey 


226, 000 


Pennsyl- 
vania. 


aio. 


Total 

for  these 

States. 


275, 067 


a (460, 190) 


350,000  I 

420,000 

250,000    

300,000    

290,000  , 

365.000  ■ ! 

880,000  : i 

480,000 ' 

700,000  'i[l,I26,8991<[ 

637,000  i 

725,000  : 

540,000  ;... 1 

530,000  ' I 

420,  000 
588.  829 
768,  852 
669, 553 
779,  900 
821,  994 
554,  865 


1,  247,  537 
1,253,393 
1, 017, 216 
891, 099 
534, 122 
242,  759 
307,  266 
385, 477 


(323,  782) 
450,000 
600,000 
665,  OOO 
525, 000 
390,000 
285,000 
315, 000 
409,674 
488, 028 

[676, 225] 
745,000 
737, 052 
932, 762 
521.416 
303;  710 
;i30, 000 
5UU,  501 
547, 889 
447, 738 
415,510 
495, 808 
525,  612 
465, 466 
356, 150 
277, 483 
282,433 
264,999 


(078, 112)  i  (282, 615)  I      2, 053, 699 




" 

) 



... 

}[1, 951. 4961 

[488,753] 

4, 243, 872 

. 

,..., 

1,  560, 234 

1, 361, 622 

1,272,928 

1,084,047 

607,985 

532, 087 

900, 340 

.747.784 


344,484  I 

377,465  ' 

253,352 

254,294 

169, 088 

104,487  i 

95,768 

68, 141 

58, 493 

44, 834 

58,480 


3, 477, 575 
3, 279, 911 
2, 920, 243 
2, 636, 369 
1, 656,  398 
1, 110, 822 
1,  534. 868 
1, 466, 740 


a  The  figures  inclosed  '  ■  parentheses  are  those  of  the  Ninth  Census :  Industrv  and  Wealth,  p.  768, 
and  as  has  already  been  explained  in  the  notes  to  Table  II,  they  are  of  doubtful  value. 

6  The  flguJerincUTin  b?ackete  are  for  the  census  year  1880,  see  Eleventh  Census :  Mineral  Indus- 
tries, p.  13. 

NOTES  TO  TABLE  III. 

The  sources  ftom  which  the  output  of  the  Cornwall  Ore  Hills  was  obtained  are 
as  follows:  From  1864  to  1890  Mineral  Resources  (1889  and  1890),  p. 29;  for  1891, 
rbid  ,  p  41;  for  1892,  Ibid.,  p.  40;  for  1893,  Ibid.,  p.  43:  for  1894,  Production  of  Iron 
Ores  in  Various  Part's  of  the  World^.  184 ;  and  for  18^5,  Production  of  I«»n  Ores  m 
the  United  States,  p.  20;  and  for  1896,  The  Production  of  Iron  Ore  in  1896,  by  ■John 
Birkinbine,  p.  21.  For  the  production  of  iron  ore  in  the  Lake  Champlain  district 
see  Mineral  Resour^fls  (1891),  p.  41.  For  New  Jersey's  output  down  to  1889,  see 
Geological  Survey  of  New  Jersey  (1893),  p.  443.  In  Mineral  Resources  (1891),  p.  41, 
may  be  found  Ohio's  output  for  the  years  from  1886  to  1888  The  nroduction  of  each 
of  the  States  from  1888  to  1896  is  as  given  in  Produotion  of  Iron  Ores  in  the  United 
States,  p.  10;  for  production  during  1896,  see  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in  189b,  by 
John  Birkinbine,  p.  23. 


76  STATISTICS   OP   LAKE    COMMERCE. 

Table  IV. 

ProduoUoii  of  iron  ore  in  Alabama,  Tennessee,  Georgia,  and  the  total  fur  these  States. 

[Long  tons.] 


Tear. 

Alabama. 

TenneHsee. 

Georgia. 

Total. 

1870 , 

30,909 
[93, 272] 

30,900 
[346, 032] 

1880 

1171,139] 

220, 000 

250,000 

385,000 

420,000 

505. 000 

650, 000 

676, 000 

1,000,000 

1,  570,  319 

1,897,815 

1,  986, 830 

2,  312,  071 
1,742,410 
1,493,080 
2, 190,  390 
2,041,793 

'  [8i,'62ii 

1881 

1882 



1883 

1834 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

473, 204 
465,  605 
543, 923 
406, 578 
372,096 
202,  K)l 
519,796 
535,484 

246, 020 

244, U88 

250,755 

185, 054 

a  186, 015 

a  174, 694 

a  272, 014 

o 175, 331 

2, 291, 633 

2,607,598 

2, 781, 608 

2,903,703 

a  2, 301, 421 

a  1, 960, 611 

a  2, 091,200 

a  2, 752, 608 

1890 

1801 

1892 

1803 

1894 

1895 ■   ■ 

1896 ■■■■ 

NOTES  TO  TAULR  IV. 


All  of  the  figures  for  1870  were  obtaiued  I'roui  Niuth  Census :  Industry  and  Wealth, 
p.  768 ;  they  are  open  to  the  sauie  criticism  as  the  figures  for  1870  of  Table  11.  Those 
of  Alabama  and  Tennessee  for  1880  were  obtained  ftoni  Eleventh  Census:  Mineral 


p.  19;  these  figures  are  estimates  based  on  the  production  of  pig  iron.  Since  1889 
the  production  of  each  of  the  States  is  that  given  in  The  Production  of  Iron  Ores  in 
the  United  States  (1895),  p.  10.  For  1896  the  statistics  were  obtained  from  The 
Production  of  Iron  Ore  in  1896,  by  John  fiirkiiibine. 


Table  V. 


Shipmentt  of  Lake  Superior  iron  ore  hy  ports  (gross  tons). 
[Data  funilBbed  by  A.  I.  Findley,  editor  of  The  Iron  Trade  Review.] 


Tear. 


1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1801. 
1802. 
1803 '. 
1894. 
1895. 


Marquette. 


918,489 

760,047 

853,806 

803, 411 

844,694 

1, 370, 335 

1,307,395 

1, 056, 027 

1, 026, 338 

1,086,934 

1, 424, 860 

1, 079, 485 


J8»« ',578,800 

1887 1,946,519 


Eacanala. !  St.  Ignace. 


356, 
21», 
638, 
072, 
202, 
003, 
714, 
058, 
010, 
048, 
644, 
860, 
321, 
302, 


587 
777 
821 
708 
965 
632 
662 
590 
085 
081 
776 
172 
928 
121 


51,109 
93,588 
74,590 
91,554 
107,390 
61,853 


L'Anie. 


64,420 

20, 027 


Aahland. 


119,668 
721,983 
040,727 
016,414 
484,802 
123,866 
261,668 
223,684 
117,620 
738,690 
360, 219 
666,336 
067,687 


Ww, 


il  for  these  states. 


Georgia. 

Total. 

30,909 

[81,621] 

(346, 032] 



248, 02U 

244, 088 

250,755 

185, 054 

a  186, 015 

a  174, 684 

a  272, 014 

0175,331 

2, 291, 633 

2,607,598 

2, 781, 508 

2,903,708 

0  2,301,421 

o  1, 960, 6U 

0  2,091,200 

0  2,752,608 

blishment  niiniDgore 


lustry  and  Wealth, 
f  Table  II.  Those 
ii  Census :  Mineral 
leudar,  year.  For 
'  Industries,  p.  23. 
[  liesources  (1891), 
iron.  Since  1889 
on  of  Iron  Ores  io 
l)tained  from  The 


liew.] 

CAnse. 

Ashland. 

64,420 

20, 027 

110,868 
721,983 
1,040,727 
1.016,4U 
1,484,802 
2,123,866 
1,261,668 
2,223,684 
1,117,620 
1,738,690 
2. 360, 219 
1, 666, 336 
2,067,687 

STATISTICS    OP   LAKE    COMMERt  E. 
Shipmenti  of  Lake  Superior  iron  ore  by  parte  (groee  <o)i«)— Continued. 


77 


Tear. 


1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
1802. 
1893. 
1894. 
1896. 
1896. 
1897. 


Two  Har- 
bors. 


Ulndatone. 


225, 

3U4, 

390, 

450, 

810, 

826, 

8!I0, 

1, 165, 

903, 

1,  373, 

2,118, 

1,  813, 

2,651, 


484 
396 
467 
475 
630 
063 
299 
076 
329 
253 
166 
992 
465 


68,  250 
9I.U91 
177,  866 
116,886 
203,  585 
79,  203 
109, 21 1 
220, 888 
341,014 


Superior.  \    Sulnth. 


Total. 


4,245 
80,273 


117, 884 
167, 246 
531, 825 


44U,5D2  i 
1,369,252 
1,598,783 
1,  988, 032  i 
2,376,064  I 


3, 
4, 
4, 
6. 
8. 
«. 
8, 
5, 
7, 

10, 
9, 

12. 


390,  605 
428,  480 
403,  186 
398,  857 
621,947 
804,511 
063, 067 
444,440 
545, 314 
881,214 
620,  820 
233. 910 
657,  921 
215,646 


Receipts  of  Lake  Superior  iron  ores,  by  vessel,  at  lake  ports  (gross  totia), 
[Data  furnished  by  A.  I.  Fimlley,  editor  of  the  Iron  Trade  Bevlew.] 


Yenr. 


1880. 
1881. 
1882. 


Toledo. 


1883. 

1884.. 

1886. . 

1886.. 

1887.. 

1888.. 

1889.. 

1890.. 

1891.. 

1892.. 

1893.. 

1894.. 

1895.. 

1896.. 

1897.. 


27, 617 
2  444 

islooo 

26,960 

61,729 

76,601 

82,961 

164,295 

101, 105 

139,987 

146, 516 

158, 384 

260, 730 

301,794 

416,438 


Sandugfay.  ]    Huron. 

I 


i 


58, 825 

166,540 

143, 180 

157, 970 

160, 600 

154,924 

186,  082 

174, 506 

106,907 

49,736 

4,464 

23,043 

12, 361 

58, 667 

79, 792 


44, 021 

21,288 

4,351 

680 

1,200 

14,910 

65,000 

137,  700 

172,775 

146, 442 

226, 515 

198, 231 


I 
Lorain,    i  Cleveland. 


25, 704 

30, 1.56 

13, 180 

99, 744 

134,  764 

197,  OUO 

280,000 

280, 450 

266,009 

190.400 

165, 667 

150,  424 

214, 210 

191, 445 

365, 188 


758, 983 

826, 419 

993,046 

723, 120 

004,850 

589, 234 

1.034,650 

1,  216, 423 

971, 775 

1,742,415 

1, 945, 492 

1, 257, 775 

1,960,224 

1, 260, 716 

1,624,573 

2, 312, 370 

2, 313, 170 

2,466,704 


Fairport. 


40, 334 

23,  lUO 

31,092 

112, 000 

501,368 

611.140 

829, 121 

1, 096, 408 

699,434 

866, 611 

792,617 

976, 222 

914,617 

941, 446 

1,008,340 


Tear. 


1880. 
1881. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1886. 
1886 
1887. 
1888 
1880 
1890 
1891 
1892 
1888 
1804 
1896 
1898 
1897 


Aahtabnla. 


298,594 

377, 976 

598,087 

670,000 

650,000 

582,000 

672,000 

1,103,839 

1,288,530 

1,963,490 

2,176,730 

1, 599, 785 

2,655,416 

1,845,738 

1,987,722 

2, 474, 791 

2,272,822 

3,001,914 


Conneant. 


1,130 
208,207 
237,905 
244,967 
327,623 
495, 327 


Brie. 


106,787 
116,027 
122,228 
91,260 
20,488 
240,338 
373, 595 
487,498 
393, 759 
64.5,280 
469, 299 
624,438 
811,989 
847,849 
, 911, 626 


Buffalo, 

Tonawan- 

da.a 


40, 203 

8,760 

7,160 

31,869 

28,699 

240,000 

298,000 

548,000 

410,000 

197,000 

308,238 

395, 339 

710, 742 

645,101 

'797,446 


Total. 


1, 692, 689 
1, 841, 877 
1,503,969 
2, 270, 554 
3, 439, 198 
3, 783, 659 
5,856,8U 
6, 874, 664 
4, 039, 684 
6,660,734 
5,333,061 
6,350,826 
8,112,228 
8,026,432 
10, 120, 906 


Receipts  of 

other 
lakeports.b 


648,728 

924, 517 

1,222,632 

959,659 

838, 288 

948, 167 

1, 188, 403 

1, 504, 756 

1,884,580 

648,163 

1,279,004 

2, 121, 682 

1, 631, 480 

2, 094, T39 


a  Buffiilo  alone  to  1893. 


6  Most  of  this  ore  was  received  at  South  Ghioago. 


fg  STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 

•  Table  VI. 

Freight  raiet,  hy  lake  vessel,  oti  iron  ore  per  loni/  ton  from  ports  named  to  Lake  Erie  ports. 


Year. 


lua. 

1857. 
1858. 
1859. 
1860. 
1861. 
1862. 
1883  . 
1864  . 
1866. 
1866. 
1867. 
1868. 
1869. 
1870. 

1871  . 

1872  . 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876. 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 
188U. 
1881  . 
1882. 
1883  . 
1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891  . 
1892. 
1893  . 
1894. 
1895. 
1896. 
1897. 


Escnimba. 


Rate. 


Wild  or 
dally 
rate. 


>2. 50  to  t6. 75 

1.05  to   3.05 

1.06  to  2.06 
1.05  to  2.05 
1.65  to  2.50 
1.50  to  2.50 
2.  00  to 
2. 30  to 
1. 30  to 
1.10  to 

.  70  to 

.65  to 

.  60  to 

.70  to 
1.50  to 
1.00  to 

.00  to 

.00  to 


.90  to 

.90  to 

1.10  to 


6.25 
3.00 
1.40 
1.30 
1.40 
1,50 
1.15 
2.10 
2.00 
1.60 
1.40 
1.50 
.65 
1.00 
1.35 
1.75 
1.45 
1.25 
1.00 


$0.86 

.98 

.81 

1.25 

1.70 

1.36 

1.04 

1.22 

.87 

.78 

1.28 

1.59 

1.05 

1.01 

.89 

.84 

.74 

.66 

.46 

.73 

.62 

.46 


Con- 
tract 
rate. 


Marquette. 


Rate. 


Wild  or    Con- 

!   dally  i   tract 

rate.       rate. 


$1.20 

1.00 

,00 

.90 

1.85 

1.75 

1.40 

1.00 

1.10 

.90 

1.05 


1.40  ! 

.90 

1.00 

1.10 

.65  i 

1.00 

.85 

.60 

.65 

;      -TO 

i  ■« 

$8.00 

!  3.00 

$2. 00  to  2.60 

2. 00  to  2.60 

2. 00  to  2.60 

2. 00  to   3.00 

2.  26  to   4.50 
3. 00  to   4.00 

3.  00  to  5.00 
2. 05  to 
2, 75  to 
2.00to 
2. 25  to 
2.  75  to  4.50 

'  2.  05  to   3. 25 
'  2. 05  to 

2.  Sato 
I  3. 25  to 
i  1.60  to 
;  l.:i0to 

1. 25  to 
!  1.25  to 
i  1.00  to  1.60 
j  1. 26  to  3. 00 
I  2. 00  to  2. 75 
I  2. 00  to  2. 30 
I  1.25  to  2.00 
j  1. 30  to  1. 78 
I  1.00 

I  1.40 

1.75 
2.15 

1. 10  to  1. 15 
.90  to  1.25 

1.25  to  1,10 


5.00 
6.50 
4.00 
3.25 


4.00 
0.60 
4.00 
2.50 
1.50 
2.20 
2.00 


AHhland,  Superior, 
Oulutb,  and  Two  Harbors. 


Kate,  a 


Wild  or  Con- 
daily  I  tract 
ratr..    \    rate. 


35  I 

41  ! 

22  I 

83  I 

26 

05 

26  i 

40  ! 

08  ' 

98  : 

51  . 

87 

30 

19 

07 

02 

08 
.71 
.60 
.92 
.66 
.55 


$1.60 

1.40 

1.30 

1.40 

2.76 

2.46 

1.75 

1.20 

1.35 

1.05 

1.20 

1.63 

1.15 

1.10 

1.25 

.90 

1.16 

1.00 

.80 

.75 

.95 

.05 


$1.07  to  $1.65 
1.02  to  3.00 
1. 75  to 
1. 02  to 
1.25  to 
1.35  to 


2.75 

1.08 

.90 

1.00 


$1.25 

1.78 

2.23 

1.43 

1.34 

1.17 

1.11 

1.15 

.77 

.78 

1.13 

.77 

.67 


$1.15 

1.20 

2.00 

1.25 

1.25 

1.35 

1.00 

1.25 

1.00 

.80 

.80 

1.05 

.70 


a  Bates  from  Ashland  alone. 


NOTES  TO  TABLE  VI. 

Oat  of  the  rate  that  is  reieived  the  vessels  pay  trimming  and  unloading  charges. 
In  1895  and  1896  those  amounted  to  19  cents  per  ton  and  in  1897  to  16.5  cents.  Some 
few  boats  do  not  trim,  and  thus  escape  the  trimming  charge,  which  in  1895  and  1896 
varied  from  2.5  to  3  cents,  and  in  1897  was  2.5  cents.  All  vessels  pay  the  unloading 
charges,  which  in  1897  were  9  cents  for  shoveling  the  ore  into  bucKets  lowered  into 
the  ship's  hold  and  5  cents  as  a  doclc  charj;e. 

The  rates  as  given  in  the  first  column  for  each  port  were  obtained  from  Mineral 
Resources  of  the  United  States,  1889-90,  pp.  27-31.  They  were  compiled  by  the 
State  commissioner  of  mineral  statistics  of  Michigan.  The  other  rates  were  com- 
piled by  the  Marine  Review,  of  Cleveland. 


»l  to  Lake  Erie  port». 


Ulilaiid,  Superior, 
tb,  and  Two  Harbors. 

te.o 

Wild  or 
daily 
ratr-. 

Con- 
tract 
rate. 

[o  $1. 65 
;o  3.00 
o  2.75 
At  1.08 
;o  .90 
;o    1.00 


»1.25 

1.78 

2.23 

1.43 

1.34 

1.17 

1.11 

1.15 

.77 

.78 

1.13 

.77 

.67 


$1.15 

1.20 

2.00 

1.25 

1.25 

1.35 

1.00 

1.25 

1.00 

.80 

.80 

1.05 

.70 


1  unloading  charges. 
r  to  16.5  cents.  Some 
lich  in  1895  and  1896 
Is  pay  the  unloading 
luckets  lowered  into 

tained  from  Mineral 
ire  compiled  by  the 
;her  rates  were  com- 


8TAT18T1C8    OF    LAKE    COMMKRCE. 
Tahli:  VII.    . 
Record  of  ore-shipping  docks  on  Ihe  Ureal  Lakes.' 


n 


IJailwHy. 


Location. 


Dock!^";;!?*'' 

^'>-      dock. 


Diilnth  and  Iron  Range     Two  Harbors,  Minn 
II.K. 


Dnliitb,     Miganbi     and 

NortliPrn  Kwy. 
Dnlutli,    Superior    and 

Western  K.  K. 
Chicago  and  Nortliwest- 

em  Kwy. 


Dulntb,  Minn . 

Alloucz    liay, 

rlor,  WJH. 
Asbland,  Wis... 

Escanaba,  Midi 


Supe- 


Dnluth,  South  Shore  and     Marquette,  Midi. 
Atlantic  Kwy. 

Lake  Superior  and  Ish-  I do 

peming  Kwy.  I 

Minneapolis,  St.  Paul  and  ,  Gladstone,  Mich  . 

Sanlt  Ste.  Mario  Rwy.  j 
"Wisconsin  Central.  l  Ashland,  Wis.... 


1 
2 
3 
4 
6 
1 
2 

1 

1 

t> 

1 

2  i 

3 

C4  I 

5  i 
1 

a  I 

4 

1 


Feet. 
1,056 
1,056 
540 
1,008 
1.  0118 
2, 3(14 
1,152 
a(H)0 
hlllill 
1,404 
1,404 
1,101 
1,152 
1,  l)5H 
1,500 
1,  392 
1,700 
1, 200 
1,200 
1,200 


Height 
Width    nfdoik    No. of 
of        (water     pock- 
dock,  to       :     CtH. 
I  deck).  I 


141 
170 
80 
Kig 
168 
384 
192 
lOU 
150 
234 
234 
184 
102 
226 

2r.o 

'i62 
270 
213 
200 
200 


Storage  en- 
pai'ity. 


-t.In. 

Ft.  In. 

41     0 

45    6 

41     0 

40    6 

49    0 

51     6 

40    0 

51     6 

49    0 

04     0 

62     0 

.53    8i 

,'>2     0 

57     8.J 

49     8 

.52     11 

49  8 

40  8  ' 

46  0  , 

37  0  ' 

37  0  1 

37  0 

37  0  ' 

37  0 

40  0 

53  6 

36  8 

52  0 


768  j    37    0 
1,908  I    36    0 


57  0 

54  0 

45  0 

48  6  : 

40  3 

52  8 
48  6 

53  3 
45  0 
37  0 
47  3 

54  0 

47  0 

54  6 


120 
314 


Orom  timi. 
18,000 
23. 900 
IB,  000 
30,000 
33,  000 
57.600 
34,660 
15, 000 
2.5, 500 
36, 036 
24, 166 

'  24, 104 

20, 928 
30, 284 

i  32, 760 

43, 162 
27,000 
12,780 

;  28, 000 

36, 000 

16,000 

33,600 


*  From  "  The  Iron  Mines  of  Minnesota."    Prepared  for  the  seventy-third  meeting  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Mining  Engineer*. 
oOld  part. 

6  New  extension.  ,    ,,,,  ' 

0  Destroyed  by  Are  Kovember  30, 1897  but  now  rebiiilding. 

Taule  VIII. 
Data  relating  to  ore-carrying  railroads  of  northern  Minnesota.* 


Railway. 


height 

of  rails 

per  yard. 


Duluth  and  Iron 
Range  R  R. 

Dnluth,  Missabl 
and   Northern  | 
Rwy.  j 

Duluth,  Superior  ! 
and  Western  I 
R.  R. 


Pounds. 
80 


60&80 


60 


Weight  of  freight  loco- 
motives in  working 
order,  with  tenders. 


Number  of  freight 
locomotives. 


12 -wheel  locomotives, 
123  tons ;  consolidation 
locomotives,  88  tons. 

10  -  wheel  locomotives, 
97  tons;  consolidated 
locomotives,  118  tons. 


79  tons !  7. 


12-wheel    locomotives, 

20;  consolidated  looo- 

niotives,  24. 
10- wheel    locomc  .•  o«, 

16;  consolidativ  v    ,.>■ 

comotives,  2. 


Capacity  of 
standard 
ore-car. 


Orois  totu. 
24 


26 


29 


Number 

of 
ore-oars. 


2,293 

1,801 

600 


*  The  Iron  Mines  of  Minnesota.    Prepared  for  the  seventy-third  meeting  of  the  American  Institute 
of  Mining  Engineers.    This  was  the  state  of  these  railroads  on  July  14,  1897. 


PAirr  IV. 


COAIi  TRAFFIC. 

To  the  vast  extent  of  territory  about  tbe  (Jreat  Lake.s,  but  e.specially 
to  the  country  west  and  north  of  the  Lakes  Michigan  and  Superior, 
lake  transportation  means  cheap  coal.  During  the  greater  portion  of 
the  season  of  189()  coal  was  carried  from  Buffalo  to  Dul'itli  and  Su- 
perior, a  distance  of  997  miles,'  for  20  cents  per  ton.  It  would  be  a 
work  of  supererogation  to  emphasize  what  this  very  low  rate  means  to 
the  people  of  the  Northwest,  where  fires  must  be  maintained  for  at 
least  six  of  the  twelve  months  of  the  year.  To  the  lake  (jarriers  coal 
means  west-bound  cargoes.  If  it  were  not  for  coal,  nearly  all  the  vessels 
carrying  ore,  grain,  flour,  and  lumber  to  the  lower  lake  ports  would  be 
obliged  to  return  "light."  During  189H  coal  constituted  about  three- 
fourths  of  the  west-bound  traffic  through  the  Detroit  Kiver  and  86  per 
cent  of  the  westbound  traffic  through  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal. 

During  1896  shipments  from  the  ports  of  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario 
amounted  to  abont  9,900,000  tons.*  The  growth  of  this  enormoiis  traffic 
from  small  beginnings  in  the  seventies  can  not  be  set  forth  in  detail 
because  of  the  raeagerness  of  reliable  data.  Something  may,  however, 
be  inferred  from  the  growth  of  the  traffic  of  the  leading  shipping 
ports.'    Shipments  of  coal  from  Buffalo  have  been  as  follows: 


Year. 


Tons. 


Vear. 


1873  1        570,443   ■  1890. 

1875 439,720'  1895. 

1880       589,670  1896. 

1885 1,448,088 


Tou«. 

2, 188, 682 
2, 617, 2C8 
2, 400,  U68 


Most  of  the  anthracite  coal  consigned  by  lake  is  shipped  from  Buff"alo. 
Erie,  Charlotte,  Oswego,  and  Ogdeusburg  are  the  other  ports  shipping 
large  quantities  of  this  coal.  But  very  little  bituminous  coal  is  shipped 
from  Buffalo;  in  1896  shipments  amounted  to  but  21,000  tons.  Bitu- 
minous coal  is  shipped  firom  the  Lake  Erie  ports  west  of  Buffalo— Erie, 
Oonneaut,  Ashtabula,  Fairport,  Cleveland,  Lorain,  Huron,  Sandusky, 
and  Toledo.  Cleveland  has  been  the  chief  shipping  port  of  this  form 
of  coal.  The  growth  of  the  traffic  at  this  port  may  be  seen  fi>om  the 
subjoined  table : 


Tear. 

Tons. 

Tear. 

Tons. 

laat 

0  723,802 
1, 287, 177 

1893 

1, 622, 667 

1890 

1806 

1,803,709 

, ^_- 



alnclndea  a  small  rail  tonnage. 

In  the  decade  covered  by  the  table  there  was  an  increase  of  149  per 
cent  in  the  business  of  Cleveland.     Shipments  from  the  Cuyahoga 

iThis  is  the  distance  given  iu  tbe  Eleventh  Census,  Transportation  Business,  Part 
II,  p.  288.  For  several  weeks  during  1895  coal  was  carried  from  Buflfalo  to  Duluth 
for  15  cents  per  ton.  ,.         .      ^       x-  xi..       ■    j.t. 

i!  Shipments  from  Ogdensbnrg  are  included  in  this  estimate.  Nothing  in  the  way 
of  a  definite  statement  can  be  given,  as  accurate  data  are  not  obtainable.  Of  all  the 
statistics  thus  far  considered  the  statistics  of  the  coal  business  are  by  far  the  worst. 
This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  coal,  much  more  than  other  commodities,  is  taken  on  at 
"  intermediate  "  ports.  Much  of  the  business  therefore  is  not  recorded  on  the  books 
of  the  custom-houses. 

'These  facts  may  be  found  in  Appendix  III,  Tables  I-V. 

80 


aster 


es,  but  especially 
an  and  8'iperior, 
[reater  portion  of 

Dulatit  and  Su- 
1.  It  would  be  a 
[)\v  rate  means  to 
aaintained  for  at 
hike  (carriers  coal 
rly  all  the  vessels 
le  ports  would  be 
uted  about  three- 
Itiver  and  86  per 
.""alls  Canal. 
Brie  and  Ontario 
s  enormous  traffic 
et  forth  in  detail 
iig  may,  however, 
heading  shipping 

follows: 


Touii. 

2, 188, 682 

2, 617, 208 

2, 400, U68 

iped  from  Buffalo, 
er  ports  shipping 
us  coal  is  shipped 
1,000  tons.  Bitu- 
of  Buffalo— Brie, 
luron,  Sandusky, 
l)ort  of  this  form 
be  seen  f^om  the 


Tods. 

1, 522, 667 

1, 803, 709 

icrease  of  149  per 
>m  the  Cuyahoga 

tation  Business,  Part 
om  Buffalo  to  Duluth 

Nothing  in  the  way 
>tainable.  Of  all  the 
are  by  far  the  worst, 
iilities,  is  taken  on  at 
recorded  ou  the  books 


8TATISI1C8    OF    1-AKE    COMMERCE. 


81 


customs  district,  which  includes  Cleveland,  Ashtabula,  Lorain,  Fair- 
port,  and  Conneaut,  or  all  the  ports  shipping  large  quantities  of  bitu- 
minous coal  except  Toledo,  have  grown  even  more  rapidly  than  the 
shipments  from  Cleveland.  In  18H7,  shipments  from  this  district  were 
1,43.'3,03.'>  tons;  and  in  1896, 3,863,645  tons,  a  gain  in  the  ten-year  period 
of  2,430,610  tons  or  169  per  cent.' 

In  the  coal  business  the  porta  of  destination  are  much  more  numerous 
than  the  ports  of  origin.  The  small  ports  about  the  lakes  receive  not 
only  their  own  supplies  of  coal,  but  to  some  extent  those  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  as  well.  The  aggregate  receipts  of  the  small  ports 
are  not  very  large,  however,  and  so  the  growth  of  the  receipts  of  the 
large  {)orts  shows  pretty  accurately  the  increase  of  the  business  and 
the  shifting  of  the  great  distributing  centers.  Fortunately  we  have 
statistics  of  the  receipts  at  the  great  distributing  ports  for  a  long  period 
of  years.''  Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan, 
and  Duluth  and  Superior,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  are  the  centers 
from  which  the  West  and  Northwest  receive  their  coal.  The  tables  in 
Appendix  IV,  Tables  VI-VIII,  show  the  growth  of  the  coal  business  of 
these  cities,  and  the  following  table  exhibits  the  present  importance  of 
the  traffic: 


Port. 


Uliicago 

If  Hwaukee 

D  ninth  and  Supfrinr. 


Total 

reoelpta, 

1886. a 

Ton$. 

o,Ria,ai» 

1, 687, 7U5 
1, 776, 712 


(tOnly  about  oiin-Hfth  of  the  receipts  of  Chicago  come  by  lake.  Chicago  receives  about  two-thirds 
of  her  supplies  from  Illinois  and  Indiana.  Duluth  and  Superior  receive  their  stocks  by  lake,  and 
Itilwaukee  obtains  nearly  all  her  coal  by  lake,  having  rei:eived  but  100,312  tuns  by  rail  in  1896. 

The  absolute  and  relative  importance  of  these  ports  as  distributing 
points  is  much  more  accurately  indicated  by  their  shipments  than  by 
their  receipts.    The  shipments  were  as  follows : 


Tear. 


1880. 
1881  . 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1886. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
1892. 
1893. 
1894. 
1896. 
1896. 
1897. 


Chicago 

ship, 
ments.  a 

Ton*. 


991,063 
156, 037 
471,838 
206,608 
377, 504 
344, 055 
476,624 
401,659 
068.132 
999,308 
913, 577 
819, 686 


Milwaukee 

ship. 

nienta.  b 

Torn. 
65,390 
121,885 
164,444 
235, 771 
205,061 
269,277 
284,803 
296,439 
463,837 
413, 408 
522, 618 
600,888 
469,144 
682, 993 
432, 768 
640,470 
446,683 


Duluth  and 
Superior 
receipts. o 

Tont. 

60,000 

163,000 

260,000 

420,000 

372,000 

592,000 

736,000 

912,  (100 

1,  535,  000 

1,  205, 000 

1,780,000 

1, 776, 000 

1, 812, 661 

2, 126, 781 

2, 010, 731 

1,664,882 

1, 776, 712 


a  See  Appendix  IV,  Table  XII,  for  particulars. 

6Se«  Appendix  IV,  Table  XIll,  for  particulars. 

c  The  shipments  of  coal  from  Dnluth  and  Superior  can  not  be  obtained.  The  consumption  of  coal  In 
Duluth  and  Superior  is  small,  for  the  combinea  population  of  these  two  cities  is  not  large,  and  thus 
the  receipts  will  answer  for  comparative  purposes  almost  as  well  as  the  shipments.  As  our  interest 
lies  in  the  rate  of  Increase  rather  than  in  its  absolute  amount,  and  because  it  may  be  assumed  that 
shipments  from  the  ports  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior  have  grown  fully  as  fast  as  the  local  consump- 
tion, the  receipts  instebd  of  the  shipments  may  be  used  without  changing  the  results. 

■  Detailed  information  may  be  found  in  Appendix  IV,  Table  III. 

"  The  stfttisticfl  of  the  receipts  are  more  accurate  than  thoae  of  shipments.  The 
tables  compiled  by  the  Chicago  bureau  of  coal  statistics,  for  example,  are  regarded 
by  those  in  a  position  to  speak  authoritatively  as  perfectly  trustworthy. 

H.  Doc.  277 6 


82 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE   COMMERCE. 


Hy  tlio  fort'KoiiiK  UihW,  it  appear^  that  Chicago  Ims  "<»  more  than 
ht'ld  its  own  a«  a  distiilmtiiiji  point  <lnrin«  the  period  covered  by  the 
table,  and  that  sliipinents  Iroin  Milwaukee  j;rew  from  «m,;»!M>  Iohh  in 
1880  to  <)(M),8S8  tons  in  18!>1  and  fell  to  4;W,7<)H  tons  in  18!»t,  but  rose  to 
G40,47<»  tons  in  18i»r»,  but  decreased  ajjain  in  ISIMI  to  440,(»8.j  tons,  almost 
reaching  the  low  flgnre  of  181(4.  The  DuluthSuperior  business  «rew 
almost  without  setbacks  from  «)0,0()(l  tons  in  1880  to  the  huge  volume 
of  l!,12(i,781  tons  in  181W,  In  18i»4  the  tralVic  of  these  jiorts  fell  a  trilie 
short  of  that  of  18{);5  and  in  181(5  there  was  a  more  decided  loss,  but  hi 
1890  tliere  was  a  partial  recovery.  The  movement  of  coal  through  the 
St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  in  recent  years  has  grown  at  a  much  nuue 
rapid  rate  than  the  receipts  of  Duluth  and  Superior.  The  distribution 
of  coal  from  Lake  Superior  iK)ints  has  therefore  increased  even  more 
rapidly  than  is  indicated  by  the  statistics  of  the  business  of  Duluth 
and  Superior.'  Kvery  effort  has  been  nuide  by  the  (oal  dealers  of 
Chicago  and  Milwaukee  on  the  one  hand  and  of  Duluth  and  Superior 
on  the  other  to  secure  the  trade  of  the  West  and  Northwest. 

Lake  rates  Ijrom  the  lower  lake  i)orts  are  almost  always  less  to  the 
ports  at  the  head  of  Lake  SniM-rior  than  they  are  to  the  ports  at  the 
head  of  Lake  Michigan.  Hail  rates  to  the  West,  on  the  other  hand, 
seem  to  favor  Milwaukee  and  Ciiicago.  The  territ<ny  controlled  by 
these  groups  of  ports  expands  and  contracts  witli  variations  in  rates, 
but  in  a  general  way  the  territory  supplied  by  either  of  them  can  be 
located.  If  a  line  be  drawn  from  l-'au  Claire,  Wisconsin,  to  La  Crosse 
and  through  southeastern  Minnesota  across  northwestern  Iowa  and 
to  the  Mis8(mri  River  and  down  this  river  to  Kansas  City  and  then  west, 
all  the  territory  lying  to  the  north  and  west  of  this  line  would  be  sup- 
plied with  hard  coal  from  the  head  of  Lake  Superior.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  indicate  the  line  separating  the  territory  supplied  with  soft 
coal  by  Duluth  and  Superior  from  that  supplied  by  (Chicago  and  Mil- 
waukee; it  may,  however,  be  said  that  the  line  would  be  somewhat 
jmshed  back  to  the  north  and  west.^ 

In  the  westward  movement  of  coal  from  the  mines  there  is  the  keenest 
competition  between  the  railroads  and  the  lake  carriers.  In  each  case 
the  business  is  particularly  desirable,  because  it  is  in  the  direction  m 
which  the  least  traffic  moves.  It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  east- 
bound  business  of  both  the  railroads  and  the  lakes  far  exceeds  the  west 
bound ;  it  therefore  becomes  i)articularly  desirable  to  secure  west- 
bound freight,  for  if  it  be  not  obtained  it  means  that  empty  cars  must 
be  hauled  or  vessels  ruu  "light." 

As  Chicago,  of  all  ports  in  the  West,  is  the  point  to  which  the  rail- 
roads can  most  successfully  meet  the  competition  of  the  lake  carriers, 
the  business  of  this  city  will  first  be  discussed.  In  the  contest  for 
Chicago  business  the  lake  carriers  are  at  a  decided  disadvantage  in  the 
point  of  distance.  From  Buffalo  to  Chicago  by  lake  is  889  miles,  while 
it  is  but  523  miles  by  rail. '  Thus  every  mile  covered  by  lake  results  in 
the  effective  westward  movement  toward  Chicago  of  but  0.588  of  a  mile. 
At  points  south  of  Lake  Erie  the  railroads  would  be  still  more  advan- 
tageously situated.  Nothing  more  will  be  said  at  present,  as  this  mat- 
ter will  be  discussed  later  on. 

'There  is  also  a  sh'  ting  of  the  coal  business  in  the  case  of  the  ports  about  Lake 
]Michi};an.  A  large  eceiving  yard  has  recently  been  established  on  the  car-ferry 
slip  of  the  Chicago  itnd  North-Western  at  Manitowoc. 

i  The  coal  mines  of  northern  Iowa  have  suffered  a  great  deal  by  the  severe  com- 
petition of  eastern  coal  in  the  northern  markets  that  they  once  supplied. 

:'This  is  the  distance  over  the  "Nickel  Plate"— the  New  York,  Chicago  and  St. 
Louis  Railroad. 


STATISTICS   OK    I.AKK    COMMKRCK. 


u 


no  more  than 
!Overe«l  by  the 
(!r>,:{!N>  loiiH  ill 
Ji» 4,  but  rose  to 
tH;i  tons,  almost 
business  yrew 
B  hivttti  volume 
)rts  tell  a  tritie 
led  loss,  but  m 
lal  througli  the 

ii  much  more 
he  distribution 
-st'd  even  more 
less  of  Duluth 
■oiil  dealers  of 
II  ami  Superior 
ivest. 

I'ays  less  to  the 
lie  ports  at  the 
lie  other  hand, 

controlled  by 
atioiis  in  rates, 
•f  them  can  be 
n,  to  La  Crosse 
tern  Iowa  and 

and  then  west, 
)  would  be  sup- 
'.  It  would  be 
ildied  with  soft 
licago  and  Mil- 
1  be  somewhat 

re  is  the  keenest 
1.  In  each  case 
the  direction  in 
■d  that  the  east- 
tceeds  the  west 
to  secure  west- 
mpty  cars  must 

I  which  the  rail- 
le  lake  carriers, 
the  contest  for 
(ivantage  in  the 
889  miles,  while 
y  lake  results  in 
;  0.588  of  a  mile, 
till  more  advan- 
mt,  as  this  mat- 


I  ports  about  Lake 
d  on  the  car-ferry 

by  the  severe  oom- 

iipplied. 

k,  Chicago  and  St. 


The  issue  of  the  striiKWle  for  the  coal  trallic  between  the  lake  car- 
riers and  the  railroads  is  deteiinined  very  largely  by  the  kind  of  coal 
to  be  carried.  Almost  all  of  the  soft  coal  destined  for  ('hiciiKo  is  car- 
rie«l  by  the  railroads  and  the  bulk  of  the  hard  t-oal  by  vessels.'  The 
facts  exiilanatory  of  this  stranjje  condition  of  things  are  not  far  to  seek. 
The  solution  of  the  diHiciilty  is  found  in  the  location  of  the  coal  fields 
and  ill  the  chiiracter  of  the  coal.  Hard  coal  is  mined  in  a  very  limited 
district  in  eastern  reniisylvania  and  is  therefore  lavorably  situated  in 
respect  to  the  lake  rciute.  It  can  be  carried  to  HulValo  and  Erie  and  yet 
not  be  made  to  deviate  very  much,  so  fur  us  the  short  rail  haul  to  the 
lake  is  concenied,  from  the  direct  line  to  Chicago.  IJut  this  is  not  all: 
After  the  (!oiil  has  reached  llutfalo  it  is  so  situated  that  the  greatest 
possible  ert'ective  westward  movement  is  linked  witli  its  westward  jour- 
ney. In  other  words,  the  ineffectual  expenditure  of  eiicr;.;y  that  takes 
place  in  rounding  the  lower  |>eninsular  of  ^Michigan  is  reduced  to  a  mini-  . 
mum  by  the  almost  direct  w  estward  movement  the  whole  length  of  Lake 
Erie. 

The  bituminous  coal  mines  in  the  Eiist  that  in  part  supply  Chicago 
with  coal  are  situated  well  south  of  Lake  Erie.  Hocking  Valley,  the 
Pittsburg  district,  and  West  Virginia  are  the  (thief  sources  in  the  East 
from  which  Chicago  obtains  soft  coal.  From  these  localities  the  rail- 
and  lake  route  can  not  compete  with  the  allrail  lines  because  of  the  long 
rail  haul  to  the  lakes  and  the  circuitons  Journey  iirouiid  the  lower 
Iieninsula  of  Michigan.  From  Pittsburg  to  Ashtabula  is  li*7  miles,  to 
Erie  148  miles,  and  to  Cleveland  loO  miles,  while  the  total  tlistance 
from  Pittsburg  to  Chiciigo  over  the  Pennsylvania  Kailroiid  is  but  ■HiS 
miles.  From  Athens,  in  the  Hocking  Valley  district,  to  Toledo  over 
the  Columbus,  Hocking  Valley  and  Toledo  Railroad  is  200  miles,  while 
the  distance  to  Chicago  is  but  390  miles.  After  the  coal  has  arrived  at 
Toledo  it  is  still  <>91  miles  from  Chicago,  if  it  go  by  lake.  At  all  points 
south  of  Athens  and  Pittsburg  the  rail  andlake  lines  would  beat  even 
greater  disadvantage,  for  the  combined  rail  andlake  distance  to  Chi- 
cago would  increase  more  rapidly  than  the  all-rail  distance. 

If  coal  goes  by  the  lake-and  rail  routes  it  must  of  course  be  trans- 
shipped at  the  lake  ])orts.  In  triinsshipraent  soft  coal  breaks  very 
much  more  than  hard.  In  t  lie  case  of  hard  coal  the  breakage  varies 
from  (>  to  8  per  cent.  No  hgures  can  be  given  for  soft  coal,  as  the 
variations  are  too  great;  the  breakage  does,  however,  considerably 
exceeds  percent.  It  needs  scarcely  to  be  said  that  the  value  of  the 
coal  is  very  much  affected  by  the  breakage.  As  hard  coal  is  damaged 
less  than  soft  it  might  be  advantageous  to  ship  the  former  by  lake  when 
it  would  not  the  latter.  It  also  costs  more  to  unload  soft  coal  than  hard 
av  Chicago,  the  shoveling  rate  for  the  former  having  been  14  cents  for 
several  years  while  the  rate  for  the  latter  has  been  but  12  cents.  It 
will  be  seen  later  that  improved  devices  are  now  largely  substituted  for 
manual  labor  in  unloading  hard  coal.  It  has  now,  perhaps,  been  made 
clear  why  the  bulk  of  the  anthracite  coal  received  at  Chicago  comes  by 
lake  and  almost  the  whole  of  the  bituminous  coal  comes  by  rail. 

Passing  85  miles  north  from  Chicago  to  Milwaukee  the  position  of  the 
rail  and  lake  lines  is  wholly  changed.  All  eastern  coal,  both  hard  and 
soft,  received  at  Milwaukee  comes  by  the  lake  lines.  In  1896  Mil- 
waukee received  100,312  tons  of  coal  by  rail,  but  it  was  Illinois  coal. 
From  the  fact  that  Chicago  receives  a  large  portion  of  her  supply  of 
coal  from  the  East  by  rail  and  Milwaukee  receives  no  eastern  coal  by 


>  For  the  figures  see  Appendix  IV,  Table  VI. 


84 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCK. 


rail,  it  may  be  iiiferrt'd  that  the  rail  haul  from  Chicago  to  Milwaukee 
tips  the  balance  in  favor  of  the  lake  lines.  There  is,  however,  another 
factor  that  must  be  taken  account  of — the  distance  by  lake  to  Milwau- 
kee from  Lake  Erie  ports  is  about  85  miles  less  than  to  Chicago,  and 
the  rate  is  usually  a  few  cents  less  per  ton.' 

In  conclusion,  a  word  may  be  said  about  the  receipts  at  the  head  of 
Lake  Superior.  It  would  be  inferred  that  if  the  railroads  can  notconi- 
l)ete  with  the  lake  carriers  at  Milwaukee  they  would  be  less  sue  -essful  ■ 
at  ])()rts  further  north,  and  such  is  the  case.  Duluth  and  Superior 
receive  their  coal  by  lake.  To  the  ports  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior 
the  railroads  do  not  have  the  advantage  in  pointof  distance  they  possess 
to  ports  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan. 

No  treatment  of  the  transportation  of  coal  by  lake  would  be  complete 
without  a  discussion  of  the  development  of  dock  facilities  for  loading 
and  unloading  vessels.  Until  very  recent  years  the  crudest  methods 
obtained;  but  lately  wonderful  progress^  has  been  made,  and  no  one 
need  be  surprised  if  in  the  near  future  hard  coal  be  handled  as,  or  even 
more,  expeditiously  than  iron  ore.  But  few  improvements  have  lately 
been  made  in  loading  anthracite  coal;  trestles  equipped  with  ])ockets 
have  long  been  in  use,  and  vessels  have  been  loaded  with  dispatch.. 
The  ZenWi  City  was  recently  loaded  with  5,1  L'7  net  tons  of  anthracite  coal 
at  the  Delaware  and  Lackawanna  trestle  in  Buffalo  in  four  hours.'^  In 
the  loading  of  soft  coal,  however,  ve^y  great  innovations  have  been  made. 
Until  very  recently  soft  coal  was  shoveled,  at  a  great  cost,  from  cars  to 
buckets  and  then  swung  onto  the  ship  by  derricks.  Soft  coal  is  difiicult 
to  handle.  Lacking  uniformity  of  shape  and  size  and  often  occurring 
in  large  masses,  men  find  it  very  difficult  to  shovel.  These  peculiari- 
ties of  shape  also  make  it  difficult  to  construct  machinery  that  will 
handle  it.  Its  physical  texture  also  presents  difficulties ;  it  can  not  be 
dropped  any  great  distance  without  great  damage  through  breakage. 

Because  of  the  obstacles  that  had  to  be  overcome  the  pria)itive 
methods  of  handling  soft  coal  jjersisted,  but  when  the  traffic  assumed 
large  proportions  the  expense  of  transshipment  and  the  delays  to  ves- 
sels made  it  so  desirable  to  institute  better  methods  that  every  effort  was 
bent  to  And  them,  and  large  sums  of  money  were  expended  in  experi- 
mentation. A  satisfactory  mtychisse  would  have  to  attain  a  high  speed 
at  a  low  cost  with  but  a  limited  amount  of  breakage.  These  require- 
ments seem  to  be  satisfied  by  the  car-dumping  machines,  of  which  there 
are  several  varieties.  An  example  of  the  work  done  by  one  of  these 
machines  will  show  how  well  these  requirements  have  been  met.  A 
vessel  was  recently  loaded  at  Cleveland  with  5,176  tons  of  coal  in  ten 
hours  and  thirty  minutes  at  a  cost  of  f  13,  or  a  per  ton  cost  of  one-fourth 
of  a  cent.'' 

A  definite  statement  can  not  be  given  of  the  breakage.  It  is  con- 
tended by  some  that  there  are  machines  that  handle  the  coal  with  less 
breakage  than  this  particular  one,  but  as  yet  it  is  impossible  to  obtain 
satisfactory  data  on  this  point. 

In  unloading  coal  as  great  advances  have  been  made  as  in  loading. 
The  mechanical  obstacles  to  be  overcome  in  automatically  unloading 
hard  coal  were  not  very  great,  and  it  is  surprising  that  progress  was 
so  slow  in  view  of  the  immense  amount  of  coal  handled,  the  delay  to 
vessels,  and  the  great  cost  of  labor.    Because  of  its  weight  andoharac- 


'  The  cost  of  iinloadiug  soft  coal  flrom  boat8  is  also  a  trifle  leas  at  Milwaukee  than 
at  Chicago. 

'The  Hlack  Diamond,  November  27,  1897. 

''  Thirteen  dollars  v<!ry  nearly  represented  the  total  cuat  of  trausshipmeut,  for  the 
expenditures  for  labor,  fuel,  and  oil  and  waste  were  included. 


,^fi^-Ty»^.^Jr^;J^^<^,-^^~^^;Xr^■- ^.■i.:„,:i,-r^.^-.J.»:. 


W1 


0  to  Milwaukee 
»wever,  another 
lake  to  Milwau- 
;o  Chicago,  and 

s  at  the  head  of 
ds  can  not  coni- 
!  less  sue  'essful  • 

1  and  Superior 
'  Lake  Superior 
lice  they  i)o.s8e88 

aid  be  complete 
ties  for  loading 
rudest  metluids 
ide,  and  no  one 
idled  as,  or  even 
jnts  have  lately 
3d  with  imckets 

with  dispatch, 
f  anthracite  coal 
four  hours.'^  In 
have  been  made, 
est,  from  cars  to 
["t  coal  is  difficult 

often  occurring 
These  peculiari- 
hinery  that  will 
;s ;  it  can  not  be 
:ough  breakage, 
e  the  primitive 
}  traffic  assumed 
lie  delays  to  ves- 
;  every  effort  was 
ended  in  experi- 
ain  a  high  speed 
These  reqnire- 
!S,  of  which  there 
;  by  one  of  these 
^e  been  met.  A 
ns  of  coal  in  ten 
sost  of  one-fourth 

,kage.  It  is  con- 
he  coal  with  less 
(ossible  to  obtain 

le  as  in  loading, 
tically  unloading 
I  at  progress  was 
lied,  the  delay  to 
eight  and  charac- 


j  at  Milwaukee  than 


EiuBBbipment,  for  the 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


H5 


ter  coal  can  only  be  handled  rapidly  by  men  who  are  strong  and 
endowed  with  great  powers  of  endurance,  and  the  services  of  such  men 
have  always  been  costly.  Mechanical  appliances  were  from  time  to 
tim<>  introduced;  but, although  they  cut  down  tlie  time  vessels  were 
delayed  by  increasing  the  amount  of  coal  handled  in  a  stated  time,  they 
neither  reduced  the  cost  of  shoveling  coal  in  the  8hii)'8  hold  nor 
lessened  the  physical  tax  on  the  laborer.' 

The  strain  of  working  in  the  dusty,  stiHing  holds  ot  vessels  was 
unbearable  for  any  length  of  time  by  even  the  strongest  men,  and  the 
irregularity  with  which  the  men  worked,  and  the  irregularity  ot  the 
employment  offered,  proved  a  constant  source  of  trouble  between  the 
employees  and  employers.  Finally  this  tedious  method  of  unloading, 
coupled,  as  it  always  was,  with  uncertainty*  and  great  cost,  became 
intolerable  and  the  self-tilling  "clam  shell"  or  grab  bucket  was  devel- 
oi)ed.  With  the  best  type  of  "  clam  shells"  hard  coal  can  be  removed 
with  wonderful  rapidity  and  at  a  very  low  cost.  A  contract  covering 
the  installation  of  a  plant  at  Chicago  guaranteed  that  the  "clam  shell" 
would  develop  a  speed  of  three  trips  per  minute.  The  average  load  of 
this  bucket  is  a  gross  ton.  It  was  also  guaranteed  that  the  total  cost 
of  removing  cargoes  and  delivering  in  the  yard  would  not  ex<teed  5 
cents  per  ton  for  entire  cargoes.  Some  coal  has  been  raised  and  deliv- 
ered in  the  yard  for  three  fourths  of  a  cent  per  ton.  This  coal  was 
directly  under  the  hatches  and  therefore  very  accessible.  At  one  of 
the  yards  in  Milwaukee  two  vessels,  whose  cargoes  aggregated^  7,776 

■  An  outline  of  these  inipiovtnients  will  be  {jivtn.  Up  to  about  1«73  coal  was 
handled  at  ChiiaKO,  and  presumably  at  other  lake  ports,  iu  a  very  crude  way.  1  he 
coal  was  removed  from  the  hold  of  the  ship  by  means  of  buckets  made  Irom  kero- 
sene oil  barrels  (the  upper  Ihird  of  which  had  been  sawed  off)  and  a  rope  lash- 
ing for  a  handle.  These  buckets  were  raised  by  horse  power— the  horse  traveling 
back  and  forlh.  On  a  tenipornrv  stage  the  coal  was  dumped  into  wheelbarrows 
and  then  wheeled  back  over  a  "spring  run"  made  of  planks  supported  at  either  end. 
This  work  seems  to  have  been  ditHcult,  for  the  men  engaged  in  it  received  75  cents  per 
hour.  The  shoveleis  to  the  hohl  received  from  14  to  18  cents  per  ton.  The  iirst  impor- 
tant departure  from  this  system  was  made  about  1873.  At  tliis  time  the  "mast  ami 
gatf "  were  employetLas  a  derrick.  An  iron  bucket  holding  about  500  pounds  ot  coal 
replaced  the  woo^lon  bucket  and  steam  power  was  used  iu  hoisting.  Instead  ol  being 
dumped  into  wheelbarrows  the  buckets  were  now  emptied  into  tram  oars,  which 
were  moved  by  hand.  These  improvements  greatly  reduced  the  cost  of  raising  the 
coal  from  the  hold  and  carrying  it  back  on  the  dock,  but  did  not  reduce  the  labor  of 
the  men  in  the  hold  or  the  cost  of  shoveling.  The  second  great  departure  was  made 
when  the  coal  was  hoisted  up  over  an  inclined  track  that  extended  out  over  the 
vessel  but  which  conld  be  swung  liack  Hush  with  the  dock  when  the  cargo  was  dis- 
charged. Steam  wns  used  in  hoisting  and  the  buckets  were  dumped  into  a  hopper 
in  the  derrick.  Connected  with  the  derrick  was  an  automatic  tramway  which  was 
higher  at  the  dock  than  at  the  point  of  discharge.  The  cur  dumped  automatically 
and  was  retnrncd  automatically  by  a  weight  that  had  been  raised  by  the  car  as  it 
ran  out  but  which  was  dropped  w  hen  the  car  discharged  its  load.  The  buckets  now 
held  from  1,200  to  2,200  pounds  of  coal  instead  of  500  pounds  and  also  dumped  auto- 
matically. These  improvements  still  further  reduced  the  cost  of  handling  coal 
after  it  was  hoisted.  They  were  introduced  iu  the  years  from  1873  to  1893.  In 
the  fall  of  1892 
unloading  boats '' 

practical,  provided  V^«  J,- -r- -- r> ,.      ,      -    .         .•  ,u„o  i,,       n- 

work  was  continued  on  the  necessary  appliances,  and  m  the  spring  ot  18»3  the  selt- 
filling  "clam-shell"  proved  successful.  The  "clam-shells"  could  not  be  swung 
either  way  under  the  hatch  opening,  so  scrapers  were  devised  (1893)  for  bringing  the 
coal  directly  under  the  hatch.  The  tramways  have  also  been  greatly  improved,  and 
coal  can  now  be  carried  back  a  mile  for  the  same  cost  as  it  can  be  delivered  on  the 

dock  front.  ,  ,  r^        r  j.\. 

All  of  the  old  forms  of  "clam-shells"  are  operated  by  steam  power.  One  of  the 
companies  constructing  this  form  of  machinery  is  experimenting  with  an  electrical 

■'  The  factor  of  certainty  is  of  great  importance.  If  a  master  can  not  know  when 
his  ship  will  be  unloaded  he  is  running  a  great  risk  in  making  contracts  for  new 
cargoes,  and  often  suffers. 


^i 


I! 


I' 


86 


STATISTICS   OF   LAKE   COMMERCE. 


tons,  began  discl.arffin-  thoii-  cargoes  at  8  a.  m.,  and  ^.^^e  ready  to 
leave  at  8  p.  m.'  For  liandling  soft  coal  a  special  torni  ot  "  grab "  has 
been  devised.  It  works  very  effectively  hi  view  ot  the  "  >st«c  es  it  has 
to  conten<l  against.  Its  average  load  is  about  «"«  »;'^lVh;.t  ot  t  e 
"clam  shells"  commonly  nsed  in  nnloadmg  hard  coal,  or  about  1,00U 
pounds.  This  grab  can  also  be  used  in  unloading  sott  coal  from  open 
cars  It  is  a  verv  valuable  machine  in  this  occupation,  because  it  does 
tlie  work  that  the  shovelers  find  the  slowest  and  hardest.  It  ro  noyes 
the  bulk  of  the  load  and  thus  enables  the  men  to  quickly  reach  the 
bottom  of  the  car  at  some  point  'Voir,  which  tlu.y  work  more.^^^^^^ 

liefore  concluding  this  subje.-t  a  word  must  be  said  '^'>«"^  lake  fie  gits 
on  cciil.     A  table  of  these  rates  may  be  found  in  Appendix  1\ ,  lables 
1  \  and  \     These  tables  show  two  things :  (1)  that  the  rates  are  very  low 
as  compared  with  those  on  other  commodities,  and  (2)  that  they  have 
fallen  very  rapidly.     For  example,  the  average  of  daily  rates  on  iron 
ore  fVol^u  i>Sth  to  Lake  Erie  poVts  during  1896  was  $  10a  p^^^^ 
ton,  while  the  average  of  the  daily  fates  on  hard  coal  from  Buffalo  to 
l?u  uth  was  24  centi  per  net  ton.    The  real  difference,  however  was 
not  so  great  as  the  apparent  difference.    C<.al  is  handled  without  charge 
to  the  vessel,  while  in  the  case  of  iron  ore  the  vessels  bear  charges  for 
Snnning  and  unh.adiug  amounting  to  19  cents  per  ton, ^  and  in  the 
former  instance  the  net  ton  is  the  unit,  while  in  the  latter  the  long  ton  is 
the  unit.    The  coal  freights  are  so  low  that  many  vessels  never  engage  in 
this  traffic.    They  are  tlie  vessels  of  the  largest  type,  but  it  must  not  be 
ii  ferred  from  this  fact  that  vessels  of  the  largest  class  are  not  in  general 
a  ecromical  carriers  as  the  smaller  ones.    It  is  the  loss  of  ti.ne  in  rexe.v^ 
iuff  uul  dischardng  cargo  that  causes  the  very  large  vessels  to  avdd 
tlds  f^l'c     S  diks  have  i.ot  yet  been  built  with  sufficient  equip- 
ment to  give  the  largest  vessels  dispatch  in  unloading,  and  bes  des 
verv  often,  much  time  is  lost  in  waiting  for  boats  to  unload  that  have 
prSedence.    The  ore  business  is  the  favorito  tiafflc  of  the  large  vessels; 
lie  dock  equipment  corresponds  to  their  size  and  tlebusiness  is  ma^i- 
aged  systematically,  so  serious  delays  are  infrequent.    I^  has  aheady 
been  explained  wh  v  ratos  are  low.    It  is  simply  because  the  east-bound 
traffic  sevStinies  exceeds  the  west-bound.    To.  the  districts  where 
the  east!bound  business  surpasses  the  westbound  in  the  largest  lueas- 
ure  tJie  west-bound  rates  are  the  lowest.    Hence  it  '? jj^^f  that  ^he 
coal  rates  to  Lake  Michigan  ports  are  almost  always  higher  than  those 

^NoWe?;SVXe  is  to  be  attached  to  a  simple  average  of  the  rates 
of  a  season.  The  variations  are  so  great  as  to  render  s.^ch  an  average 
very  Sleading.'    To  make  the  matter  clear,  resort  will  be  had  to  a 

1  Marine  Record,  Vol.  XX,  No.  20,  p.  9. 

I  S;rib&n;  tX,  «iwS"e  Ses  per  ton  on  hard  coal  f.om  Huffalo  to  Chicago, 
will  show  how  great  and  freqncnt  the  variations  are : 


Week  end- 
ing— 


Ceuts. 


Apr. 
May 


25. 


40  I 
40  i 
40,, 

no  li 

50   : 

50  to  «0  I 

June    6 i  00 

13 '     00  to50    ' 

20 50    : 


B...- 
10.... 

2;).... 
;io.... 

6. 


Wrek  oimI- 

Cents.     1 

luj:- 

.Time  27 

50 

.Inly    4 

11 

50  to  40 

40 

18 

40  to  30 

25 

30 

Aug.     1 

30  to  25 

8 

20 

15 

20 

22 

20 

Week  ontl- 
ing— 


Aug. 
Sept. 


Oct. 


29., 
5. 
12. 

in. 

20. 
3. 
10. 
17. 
24. 


Cents. 


20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20  to  30 
30 


Week  end- 
ing— 


Ceuts. 




Oct.    HI 

30 

Nov.     7..».. 

30 

14 

30 

21 

30  to  40 

28  .... 

60 

Dee.  5  to 

close 

eo 

(Heport  of  Buffalo  Merohante'  Exchange,  1896,  p.  80.) 


wmSm 


were  ready  to 
of  "grab"  has 
obstacles  it  lias 
iilf  that  of  the 
,  or  about  1,000 
coal  from  open 
because  it  does 
(St.     It  ro  noves 
lickly  reach  the 
[iiore ';rtecti /ely. 
)nt  lake  freights 
iidix  IV,  Tables 
ites  are  very  low 
that  they  have 
ly  rates  on  iron 
$1.05  per  long 
from  Buffalo  to 
;e,  however,  was 
1  without  charge 
bear  charges  for 
ton,-  and  in  the 
r  the  long  ton  is 
!  never  engage  in 
ut  it  must  not  be 
re  not  in  general 
of  time  in  receiv- 
vessels  to  avoid 
sufficient  equip- 
ng,  and  besides, 
nload  that  have 
he  large  vessels; 
business  is  man- 
It  has  already 
le  the  east-bound 
e  districts  where 
bhe  largest  meas- 
8  found  that  the 
ligher  than  those 

arage  of  the  rates 

such  an  average 

will  be  had  to  a 


n  Huffiilo  to  Chicago, 


Weekend.   ;  (jouts. 

inss—  ^ 

Oct.    HI 30 

Nov.     7..W.  30 

14 j  30 

21 80to40 

28 80 

D  c  e  .  5  t  o  ' 

close ;  w 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


87 


simple  illustration.  Suppose  there  were  but  two  rates  during  a  season, 
one  20  and  the  other  40  cents.  A  simple  average  for  the  season  would 
be  30  cents.  Under  certain  conditions  tliis  average  would  be  very  mis- 
leading. If  1,000,000  tons  were  carried  for  L'O  cents  per  ton  and  but 
100,000  for  40  cents  per  ton,  an  average  of  the  rates  actually  paid  wouia 
be  much  less  than  M)  cents  per  ton,  namely,  21.81  .ents.  Where  the 
variations  in  rates  are  very  great,  account  must  be  taken  of  the  q"anti- 
ties  shipped  as  well  s  the  rates;  that  is,  a  weighted  average  must  be 
secured'. 


l«iWi«Ma 


Appendix  IV. 

Table  I. 

Lake  shipmrnts  of  coal  from  Hiiffalo. 
[Data  furnished  by  William  Tliurstoiio,  secretary  liiift'alo  Merchants'  Exchangt-.l 

BliiHsbarg. 


Tear. 


Anthracite,  liitiiminoiis. 


1873 

1874 

1875 

]87« 

1877 - 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

188S 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

J|ao ■.■.;■.■.■....,'  2;  151. 670 

JJin 2,157,810 

iSSi 2,365,895 

JSxi ; ;  2,«22,2.S0 

i'Zi 2,081,173 

iSXi 2,475,255 

\lii ::;::/.'. 2,612,768 

iSq? 1     2,379,068 

1897:;;;::::::::::::::::::::":"--; 2,229,329 


Tonit. 

510,443 

344,  500 

389,  722 

321,4.'i5 

405,  074 

306, 172 

551),  646 

.554, 670 

705,  240 

995,  500 

1,467,778 

1,431.081 

1, 428,  (186 

1,  .531,210 

1, 894,  060 

2,514,906 


Tons. 

Toiif. 

60,  000 

40,000 

,50,000 

40,  000 

50,  000 

25,  000 

30, 000 

35,000 

30, 000 

32,  000 

26,' 666" 

10,  000 

8,706 

10,000 

7,452 

5,  000 

11,  073 

5,000 

25,  872 

5,000 

34,066 

5,000 

54,216 

5,000 

15,000 

7,600 

2,  .500 

7,500 

2,  000 

2,  600 

15, 000 

(i,  000 

100, 000 

5,  000 

Total. 


Tons. 
570,443 
384, 600 
4,30, 720 
361,456 
455,  074 
331. 172 
580,646 
.589, 670 
825, 240 

1,027,  .500 


1,448,086 
1.541,210 
1,912,766 
2, 527, 358 
2, 168, 343 
2, 188, 682 
■J,  404, 961 
2,881,446 
2, 703, 673 
1,485,256 
2, 617, 268 
2,  400. 088 
2. 334, 329 


Tablk  II. 
Coal  ahipmenU,  Cuijahofla  customs  district. 
[Data  furnished  by  F.  A.  Scott,  assistant  secretary  Cleveland  Chamber  of  Commerce 
1890. 


City. 


Cleveland . . 
Ashtabula 

Lorain 

Fairport  . . 


Total. 


Cargo. 

Tom. 
880, 121 
492, 469 
298, 444 
63,  523 


1. 724, 544 


Fuel.     Foreign. 


Tnna. 

275, 358 

87,636 

1,500 

40,000 


1891.  I  1892. 

Cargo.    1    Fuel.     Foreign.!    Cargo.    |    Fuel.    iForeign 


404, 393 


Torn. 

131,698 

44, 334 

16, 914 

6,477 


Toni. 
989, 044 
241, 230 
273, 036 
123,  649 


Tons, 

1  417,606 

239,804 

160,770 

24, 936 


Tonii. 

114,019 

25, 173 

16, 701 

8,408 


Ton*. 
1,1,54,0.58 
561,446 
362, 000 
114,  738 


Tons.       Tom. 
437, 041     136, 832 
107.883  I     66,933 
5,849  i    27,600 


199.423  11,626,959  \  843,301  I  165,201  12,182,242  i  551,473 


221,27* 


1  In  order  that  a  conception  may  bo  gained  of  the  great  variations  in  rates  and 
the  difference  in  rates  from  Lake  Erie  ports  to  the  various  upper  lake  Ports,  the 
rates  on  hard  coal  for  the  season  of  1896  from  Buffalo  to  the  leading  receiving  ports 
will  be  given  in  Appendix  IV,  Table  XI. 


i 


I 


88 


STATISTICS    OP    LAKE    COMMERCE. 
Coal  shipment,  Cuyahoya  ctmloma  dUtrivt — Coiitimied. 


City. 


Cl«vi>lniid  . 
AhIi  tabula  ■ 

Lorain 

Fiiirpurt ... 
Coniiviiut  ■ . 

Total 


Cargo. 

Ton/i. 
1, 095, 607 
1134,  600 
508, 723 
2U8,  014 
13.  Hg6 


1893, 
Fuel, 


Ton*, 

252, 006 

72,  474 

7,045 


Foreij;", 

Tonf. 

174, 3S4 

80,  570 

2U,  426 

2,370 


1894. 

Cargo,     i 

Fuel. 

Ton*. 

205, 857 

74,413 

8,788 

FoielgD. 

Toni.       ! 
807,507  1 
533.  672 
327,805  , 
"90  787 

Tont. 

104, 530 

71,030 

20, 025 

750 

88,265 

2,642 

758 

2,  458,  790 


332, 129 


283,  765 


2, 048, 030 


291,700 


197, 099 


City. 


Cleveland  . 
AbIi  tabula . 

Lornin 

Fulrport . . ., 
Couneaut . . 


189S. 


Cargo. 

Tons. 
833,968 
665, 365 
262,  698 
209, 080 
89,  530 


Fuel, 

To/i». 

291,656 

209, 443 

18.  543 

15,000 

12, 000 


Foreign,    t     Cargo. 


Tons. 
153,003 
104.391 
13,816 

"69,"  sin' 


Tout. 
1,295,254 
623,  212 
316,076 
398,  717 
58.136 


1896. 
Fuel. 


ToilH 

293, 718 

411,604 

838 


12,  006 


Total 2,060,641 


548,642  1        341,041  I    2,691,395  I        718,166 


Foreign. 


1897. 


City, 


Cargo. 


Fuel. 


Cleveland l.«2.702 

Ashtabula !  751,289 

Lorain I  195.»"0 

Fairport 18o,318 

Couneaut .__ 

Total 2,603,279 


365, 751 

200, 508 

47 


1,333 


567,  639 


Toil*. 
214, 737 
70, 731 
15, 248 


153, 368 
454,084 


Foreign. 

219, 240 
60,961 
35, 742 


126, 384 


453, 952 


Table  III. 
Summary  of  coal  shipments  from  Cuyahoga  oiistoms  district. 


Year. 


1886. 
1887. 

188&. 


Cleveland.  Ashtabula. 


Tons. 


Tont. 


.i        703,506 
.1     1,000,000 


1889 i  1825,0.10 

1890 1,287,177 

1891 1,521,659  1 

1892 ;  1,728,831 

1893 1,522,  .557 

1894 1,117,894 

1805 1,278,627 

1896 1,803,709 

1897 2,027,693 


1489,585 

624,  328 
506,297 
726,  262 
787,  6.53 
079, 121 
979, 199 
1,10,5,547 
1,  012,  758 


Lorain.        Fairport.     Conneant. 


Tons. 


Tom. 


Ton: 


Total. 


t 273, 671  : 

316,858  : 
450,513  , 
385, 158  I 
540, 194  i 
356,  618  i 
295,057 
332, 164 
230,789 


t  59, 438 

100,000 
156,  992 
114,738 
210,390 
201,  537 
224, 080 
398, 717 
185,318 


13, 886 

91, 605 

171,  363 

223, 510 

256,  687 


Tont. 
1, 079, 784 
1,433,035 

1,  855,  260 
2, 020, 996 

t  1,647,724 
2, 328,  360 
2, 635, 461 
2, 954, 989 
3,  074,  68U 
2, 536, 835 

2,  948,  324 

3,  863,  645 
3, 613, 245 


•Shipments  from  Cleveland  for  1887-88  Include  small  quantities  of  bituminous  coal  shipped  by  rail. 
The  Huures  were  obtained  from  seventeenth  annual  Keport  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey, 
Part  111,  pp,  343,  344.  The  totiUs  of  the  di»tritt  for  1886-87  were  obtained  from  Ibid.,  p.  344.  Ihedagger 
indicates  census  Hguros  of  Eleventh  Census,  Transportation  Business,  Part  II, p.  316.  Ihe  remainder 
of  the  table  is  a  suunuary  of  the  preceding  table. 


'■-•---'      - "■-- -.■..-..-.-..—  -■....      •         ..   "f.    _ — .J— -iiiii  I      .      .1  t    1        If  II     '   nanHlir 


3d. 


1894. 

Fuel. 

FoieigD. 

Tons. 
205, 857 
74,413 
8,788 

Tons. 

104, 530 

71,036 

20,025 

750 

2,642 

758 

291,700 

197, 099 

1896. 

Fuel. 

Foreign. 

Tons 
293, 718 
411,004 
838 

Tuns. 
214,  737 
70,  731 
15, 248 

12,  006 

153,  368 

718,168 

454, 084 

1897. 

Fuel. 

Foreign. 

365, 751 

200,  508 

47 

219, 240 
60,961 
35, 742 

1,333 

126,384 

567,  639 

453, 952 

1 

triot. 


Conneant. 

Total. 

Ton: 

Tons. 
1, 079, 784 

1,433,035 

1.  855,  260 

\ 

2, 020,  996 

1 1,647,  724 

2, 328,  360 

2, 636, 461 

2, 954, 989 

13, 8S6 

91, 6U5 

171,  303 

223, 510 

256,  687 

3,  074,  680 
2, 536. 835 

2,  948,  324 

3,  863,  645 
3, 613, 245 

}ii8  cuitl  shipped  bjr  rail, 
atea  Geological  Surrey, 
:bi(l.,p.344.  Thedagger 
I ,  p.  316.    The  remainder 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMEKCE. 


89 


T.\ui.K  IV 


Table  showing  the  tonnage 
I'ennsyhania  mines 


:  of  lake  coal  shipped  from  Ohio,  nest  riniinia,  .Uaruland,  and 
during  ISOd,  also  the  rariity,  and  how  ,t  teas  dtstribuled. 


Pennsylvania. 


Lake  ports. 


Anthracite.  '  Bituminous. 


Ohio. 
Bituniluou!). 


HmU'hIo,  X.  Y 

Erie.  I'li  

Conneant,  Ohio 

Ashtabula,  Ohio.... 

Fairport,  Ohio 

Cleveland,  Ohio 

Lorain.  Ohio 

Huron,  Ohio 

Sandusky, Ohio 

Toledo,  Ohio 


2. 683.  560 
492, 162 


Total  , 


882. 062 

184, 933 

291,178 

1,037,242  I 

396,  491 
1,433,790 

i 

'   "i>2,'905 

'""i9,'2i4' 


West  Virginia,  j    Maryland. 
Kitunilnuns.    i  liituinlnous. 


104, 587 
1.37,235 
1116, 528 
271,  033 
647,  652 


3,175,722  4,337,815 


1.267,035 


12,178  : 
38.206 

'67,620 
10,313 
40,780 


1,638 


Lake  ports. 


Foreign  ports. 


Domestic  ports. 


Anthracite.! 


intuuii 
nuus. 


BuHalo,N.Y  283,492  682,082 

Wi.i«  Pii  l,OUl  ...ail 

Conneaut,()hio ■ ^vVal 

Ashtabula,  Ohio '••^**i 

Fairport,  Ohio ,' ■iiii'Ton 

Cleveland,  Ohio ! :        110,729 

Lorain,  Ohio ■ 

Huron,  Ohio I-; 

Sandusk.v.  Oliio ; 

Toledo,  Oliio | 


Anthracite, 


2,400,068 
491,161 


Bitumi- 
nous. 


159, 117 


Fuel  for 
veaselH. 


1,038 


Total 
liniouutof 

lake 
tonnage. 


15,248 

SOU 

0, 220 

22, 308 


Total I        284,493       1,112,140       2,891,229 


48, 504 
01,010 
840, 502 
354,  579 
,  179,  570 
120,871 
244, 135 
257,811 
029.  763 


200, 

134, 
29, 

124, 
55. 

286, 

1, 

12, 

17, 

55. 


000 
118 
556 
959 
728 
284 
116 
055 
320 
584 


565,  622 
677, 095 
291,178 
037, 242 
410,307 
.'.76.  .183 
137,  235 
257.  059 
281,;i51 
70T,  055 


3,736,745 


916,720    8.941,327 


Total  lake  sliipraeuts.  8,941.327  tons.  .,,,.„„-,„„. 

^;?i*;;{,^A;i-!:rLru"por^^^^^  ato'roal,.  1,390,633  t„n. ;  .0  domestic  ports.  6.027.974 

80  large  aa  reported. 

Table  V. 
Shipments  of  coal  from  lake  ports  from  1800  to  1896  inclusive.  * 


Lake  porta. 


Buifalo,  N.  Y  . . . . 

Erie,  Pa 

Conneaut,  Ohio.. 
Ashtabula.  Ohio. 
Fairp(irf,Ohlo... 
Cleveland,  Ohio.. 

liOrain,  Ohio 

Huron,  Ohio 

Sanduskv.Ohto.. 
Toledo,  Ohio 


1800. 

Ton*. 
2, 044, 134 
120,  304 


1891. 

Tons. 
2, 365, 895 
586, V90 


1892. 


Tons. 
2,852,330 
567, 028 


452, 394 
63, 360 
922,  636 
227, 181 
150,000 
271, 540 
940,000 


386, 375 
66,914 
1,016,487 
288,811 
200,  000 
157, 571 
047, 288 


726,  267 
114,738 
1,  728,  831 
351. 168 
240,000 
l!i7,916 
858, 935 


1893. 


Tons. 

2, 703, 673 

625, 023 

23, 184 

787, 653 

234, 089 

1,512,308 
620, 406 
227, 444 
195, 276 
938,533 


1894. 

Tons. 
.  485, 256 
711,928 
89, 023 
669, 735 
300, 923 
997.513 
303. 690 
213,  595 
261.  363 
836, 232 


1896. 


Tuns. 

2, 620. 768 
727, 184 
106,  073 
9118,  772 
325, 064 

1,  055, 480 
277, 660 
208, 000 
223, 134 
716, 099 


1806. 


Ton*. 

3,  566, 622 

677, 095 

291,178 

1, 037, 242 

410.  307 

1,576,583 

137, 235 

257,  0,59 

I      281,  Sr. 

:      707, 656 


Total 5,200,449 


0,016,331  1  7,696,812  I  7,773,588     6,869,257 


7,318,284 


8,941,327 


'  This  table  was  furnished  by  R.M.  Haseltine. 


«0 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Taulk  VJ. 


Hecripta  of  coal  at  Chicayo  by  hike  and  rail  (net  tons). 


Vear. 


Anthriw'lte. 
Lake.  Uiiil. 


TUHK. 

]872 495,705 

jg7'»                                               5it8,  h;17 

1874;::;;::"::;;"'''" *»*'-'^3 

1«75 *74,812 

I87fl                                     ;)7;i,14B 

1877 440,1146 

Un.'.'.'.'.'.'.'..'.'. 325,55;t 

187U *«i.ii«0 

1880 fl'.'j^l 

1881 •  .545,  .11-8 

1S82                                                      i  06;),7«5 

lauj ;  7aH,7'..'3 

1884:::!:;.;:;:;;;;.:: ;  8i!o,ou2 

jayK                                                      ;  741,866 

jgge ,  768  164 

lis?:::::::::::::::::::::::: 8'53,i58 

1888                          1,242,044 

1881) 1,28;),8U  , 

18»(') 1, 236,021 

1802                                                   1,475,237 

1893 1,424,863 

ii94:;::;;::::::;;   ;:.:::.: ■ 1:277,101 

189?                                                    1,269,512 

1896:::::::;::::::::;;"!!:; 1.319,693 

1897 1  1,233,771 


KastBrii  bituniinona. 
Lake.  JEail. 


Tom. 


447,036  : 
506,088  1 
627,806  j 
613,  054 
616,997 
845,  386 
702,  737 
408,514 
346, 101 
.543,  538 
049,  820 
668,  767 
528, 351 
519, 085 
641,000 


Tom. 
90, 820 
199, 107 
2,57,  200 
273, 894 
338, 426 
358,713 
404,  447 
282,  469 
288,987 
288.  161 
287, 794 
214.488 
243, 188 
206, 817 
160,762 
123,221 
115,802 
53,  684 
40,  700 


Ti>n$. 


390, 212 

630,914 

612,  462 

790, 169 

888, 771 

1,196,324 

1 ,  049.  372 

803,  552 

780,  249 

970, 816 

1.218,616 

1,303,614 

1,  061,  211 

872, 198 

913, 311 


542,629  1 1,174,231 


*  Ueport.'*  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Tiado  down  to  Imt  not  includinp  1882.  Thi<  reteipts  hy  lake 
are  based  upon  the  cnstonihouse  records ;  the  rcreiptH  hy  rail  are  lurnlshed  by  the  railroad  eonipanies. 
From  1882  to  1895  (inclusive  of  both  <lates)  tlie  flKure.s  were  obtained  from  Mineral  Kesources  ot  the 
United  States ;  the  statements  were  furnished  by  tlic  Chicaeo  bureau  of  coal  slatistiis  ami  are 
voinaied  for  a»  accurate.  Bituminous  receii)ts  by  rail  since  1890  Include  receipts  by  both  lake  and 
rail  of  Pennsylvania,  Oliio,  West  Virginia,  and  Kentucky  coal;  lake  receipts  are  now  very  sraal'  —• 
are  not  kept  separate  by  tlie  Cliicago  bureau  of  coal  statistics.  Receipts  tor  1806  and  1897 
furnislied  to  me  directly  by  tliis  bureau. 


ry  small  and 
were 


Taule  VII. 


lieceipts  of  coal  at  Miltcaiikee  hi/  lake  and  rail. 


1861.. 

1862.. 
1863.. 
1864. . 
1865.. 
1866.. 
1867. 
1868. 
1869. 
1870. 
1871. 
1872. 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1878. 
1877. 
1878. 
1879. 


Tear.   I   Lake.     Ball.   '   Total. 


TOHt. 

31, 608 
24, 860 
42,  313 
44.503 
36, 369 
66,  616 
74, 568 
92, 992 
87,690 
122, 865 
176, 626 
210,194 
229, 784 
177, 656 
228, 674 
188, 444 
253,640 
237, 832 
325, 281 


Ton*. 


11,082 
15,962 
11,967 
11, 144 

3,658 
25, 569 


Ton*. 


902             43,215 

■■■:::;::;:: 



188, 737 
244,636 
2!dO,401 
264,784 
239, 667 
350,840 


Year. 


1880. 
1881. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
1886. 
1887. 
1888. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
1892. 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 


Lake.  Rail.  Total 


Tons,      i 
800,246 
450,005  I 
510,493  ' 
550,861  . 
623,018 
710, 736 
714,  242 
724,  594 
961, 164 
907,  743 
903,669 
1, 006, 656 
1, 210,  865 
1,117,448 
1, 228, 310 
1,  336.  603 
1, 487, 483 
1, 492, 278 


Tom. 

68.323 

100,022 

83,349 

61, 723 

81,148 

65, 014 

45,439 

118,385  I 

161,  989 

72, 935 

92,909 

149,  377 

163, 549 

132, 284 

107, 736 

109, 820 

100,  312 

9,299 


Tom. 

368,568 

550, 027 

593, 842 

612,  684 

704, 166 

775, 750 

759,  681 

842, 979 

1, 123, 153 

980, 678 

906,658 

1,156,033 

1,374,414 

1, 249, 732 

1,  337, 046 

1, 446, 423 

1,587,796 

1, 601, 577 


1^.; 


■•  Compiled  from  the  annual  reports  of  the  Milwaukee  Chamber  of  Commerce.    Lake  receipts  are 
based  upon  the  custom-house  records. 


Kiistern  bltiiiiiinuiio. 


I 


Lake. 

Tonn.       ; 
911,  820 
109, 107 

^.iT,  ,:oo 

27;t,  894 
:i:l8,  4'^6 
358,  Tin 
4114,  447 
282,  4B1I 
288,987 
288,  181 
287, 794 
214.488 
243, 188 
200, 817 
IBfl,  762 
123,221 
115,862 
53,  684 
40,  700 


Kail. 


Tnn$. 


390, 212 

630,1114 

612,  462 

790, 169 

888, 771 

1,196,324 

] , 049,  372 

803,  552 

780,  249 

070, 816 

1.218,616 

1,393,614 

1,  061,  211 

872, 108 

913, 311 

1,174,231 


Tlin  receipts  liy  lake 
tlit^  railroad  companies, 
iceral  Kesourccs  of  the 
coat  statisticH  and  are 
oi))ts  by  botli  lake  and 
irc  now  very  small  and 
for  1896  anil  1897  were 


Bail. 

Total. 

Tont. 

Tont. 

68.323 

368,568 

100,022 

559, 027 

83,340 

503, 842 

61, 723 

612,  584 

81,148 

704, 166 

65,014 

775, 750 

45,430 

759,  681 

118, 385 

842, 970 

161,  080 

1, 123, 153 

72, 935 

980, 678 

92,000 

996,658 

140,  377 

1,156,033 

163, 549 

1,374,414 

132, 284 

1, 249, 732 

107,736 

1,  337,  046 

100,820 

1, 446, 423 

100, 312 

1,587,795 

0,290 

1, 601, 577 

irce.    Lake  receipts  are 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 

Tahlk  VIII. 

Ueceijits  of  coal  at  Diihith  and  Superior." 


91 


Tear. 


lAntbracitc.i 


Ton/:. 


llitn- 
niinoiiH. 

Tom. 


1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884 

1885. 

1886. 

1887. 


Total. 


Tont. 
31,000 


Tear. 


I  Anthracite. 


BItii 

iiiinoii». 


Total. 


Tont. 


60, 000 
103,000 
200, 000 
420, 000 
372,  000 
592, 000 
730, 000 
012, 000 


Tont.  Tons. 

1888 ■  1,53.1.000 

1880 1 1,20.5.000 

]i<90                  1             1,780,000 

l«c,i ■"   1,776,000 


1892. 
1803. 
1894. 
1895. 
1890. 


531,547 
,'■.71.915 
582.  222 
480, 405 
496, 160 


1,281,014 
1,554,808 
1,448,  .WO 
1,165.387 
1,  270,  523 


1,K12,.561 
2,120,781 
2,010.731 
1,654,882 
1,775,712 


*  Down  to  1802  tlio  statements  were  compile.l  from  the  annual  reports  of  the  Duliifb  Board  of  Trade ; 
from  1891  Therecoipts  were  obtained  fro,'n  the  Heviewof  the  Trade  and  V"™T9"'' 'i'^I.e  s  I   cmenU 
piled  bv  the  Duluth  Chamber  of  Commerce,  for  year  ending  Decmber  31. 189f' l'»-,,.  V'f,r„ '  If    w 
of  tlie  1)11111111  Board  of  Trade  are  based  on  the  customhoiise  recordn;  those  ot  the  (  bamber  of  (ora- 
merce  were  furnished  by  the  coal  companies. 


Taiii.k  IX. 


Jvmage  of  daihi  lake  rates  on  hard  coal  from  Jiuffalo  to  Chicano,  Duluth, and  Toledo." 


Year. 


1  Chicago.  I  Diiliith.  |   Toledo. 


Year. 


Chicago. 

i 

Diiluth.  1 

$0.43 
.29 
.25 
.24 
.24 
.26 
1 

Toledo. 

$0.59 

»0.27 

.49 

.28 

.46 

.25 

.69 

.30 

.36 

.25 

29 

1886 »0.87 

1887 1.05 

1888 .80 

1889 .52 

1890 «2 

1891 ^« 

I  '  i 

♦Prepared  by  The  Marine  Review,  of  Cleveland.  Rate  to  Milwaukee  about  2J  cents  less  than, 
Chiclg'o  and  Detroit  rate  about  the  sao.e  as,  Toledo  rate.  Coal  of  all  kinds  shipped  in  net  tons,  and 
handled  without  charge  to  vessel. 

Tabi.k  X. 

Averai/es  of  daily  rates  on  soft  coal  from  Ohio  ports  to  Milwaukee,  Escanaha,  Duluth, 

Green  Hay,  and  Manitotvoi:  * 


Year, 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

1891 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

1807 


Milwan- 
kee.a 


Eaca- 
naba. 


$0.83 

$0.60    ! 

1.06 

.72      ; 

.84 

.61  ; 

,54 

.40 

.64 

.45 

.61 

..52 

.58 

.43 

.48 

.40 

.485 

.30 

.54 

.39 

.335 

.27 

.281 

.m 

Dnluth. 


$0.78 
.89 
.06 
.52 
.49 
.49 
.43 
.38 
.375 
.365 
.295 
.26 


Green 
Bay. 

Mani- 
towoc. 



.55 

.60 

.495 

.50 

.325 

.30 


$0.49 
.41 
.48 
.51 
.32 
.31 


•Prepared  by  The  Marine  Kiview,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
a  Chicago  rate  about  the  same  as  Milwankee. 


92 


STATISTICS   OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Tahi.k  XI. 
Lake  freiyhlii  on  haid  coal /rum  Bujjalo  to  Chicago  and  other  porln  in  1890. 


Week  ending— 


Chicago, 


Apr.  25. 

May     2. 

9. 

16. 

23. 


30 50  to  60 

Juno    6 1  60 

13 j  60  to  50 

20 SO 

27  I  50 

July    4 i  60  to  40 

11 1  «> 

18 40  to  30 

25 ;  30 

Aug.    1 1  30  to  25 

8 1  "" 

•    15 


29. 
Sept.  5. 
12. 
10. 
26. 
3. 
10. 


Oct. 


Nov 


Uoc, 


17 20  to 

24 

31 

,    7 

14 

21  30  to  40 

28.! 80 

5  to  ologo 60 


Dnlnth  ' 
and 

Superior. 


(itad- 
Htoue. 


Toledo.     Detroit. 


2S 

26 

26 


26     

25                 26 

35                26 

25 

25 
25 
25 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
25 
25 
25 
26 
26 
25 
25 
30 


26 


20 


25 
25 


*TUiB  statement  gliows  the  ruling  freight  rates  on  coal  per  net  ton,  in  cents,  from  BuiTalo  to  the 
season  of  1896  for  the  weeks  ending  on  the  dates  speoiJied.    Coiil  is  handled 


ports  named  during  the 
without  charge  to  the  resBel 


(lieport  of  Bufl'alo  Merchants'  Exchange,  1896,  pp.  80,81.) 
Table  XII. 


Shipment  H  of  coal  from  Chicago.* 


Ynar. 


1883 
1884 
1885 
1886 
1887 
1888 
1880 

1890 

1891 
1892 
1893 
1804 
1895 
1806 
1897 


Anthracite. 

Bituminous. 

Total. 

Tons. 
493,860 
585, 753 
632, 274 
451, 860 
559, 560 
508, 707 
502,  866 
f      578, 665 
\      553, 245 
606,  709 
669, 942 
682, 277 
452, 967 
377,  710 
319,791 
236, 271 

Tans. 

Tons. 

530,"  isi" 

1,001,477 
872,631 
703, 743 
951,678 
824, 340 
7^,346 
815, 682 
710,382 
515, 166 
621, 698 
503, 786 
583, 416 

99i,'668 

1,561,037 

1,471,338 

1, 206, 608 

1, 528, 343 
1,377,694 
1,344,066 

1,476,624 

1,401,660 

968, 182 

999,308 

913,677 

819,688 

1 

*Down  to  1896  the  (igures  were  obtained  from  the  Mineral  Eesonrces  of  the  United  States.  Ihe 
flgures  for  1890  given  in  Mineral  Resources  for  1891 ,  p.  196,  dlfter  from  those  gl  ven  in  Mineral  Resources 
1^9-90,  p.  160.  The  lower  figures  are,  I  believe,  the  corrected  ones.  These  figiires  were  furnished  by 
the  Chicago  Uureau  of  Coal  Statistics.  The  tigures  for  1896  were  furnislied  to  me  directly  by  this 
bureau.  Shipments  of  bituminous  coal  down  to,  but  not  including,  1895  included  coke,  fahipments 
of  coke  amounted  to  279,874  tons  in  1895,  and  325,362  tons  in  1896. 


imi  iiiitii  iMjMifla— til 


msmmmmmtr^ 


I 


wrla  in  1890. 


Toledo. 


26 


Detroit. 


25 

■ 

25                 25 

35                 25 

25 

25 
25                25 

25  1             25 

20  i             20 

2(1  ,             20 
20                   20 

25 

1(1 

20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
25 
25 
25 
25 
25 
25 
25 
30 

20 



20 

'0 

20 

•"n 

no 

10 

30 
20 

25 
25 

:: 

"0 

'to 

'SO 

Its,  from  Buffalo  to  the 
3oitle<l.  Colli  is  handled 
pp.  80,81.) 


iltunilnoiig. 

Total. 

Tom. 

Ton*. 

530, 184 

991, 053 

1,001,477 

1, 561, 037 

872,631 

1,471,338 

703, 743 

1, 206, 608 

051,678 

1, 528, 343 

834,349 

1,377,694 

737,346 

1,344.055 

815, 682 

1,475, 624 

710,382 

1,401.660 

515, 165 

968, 132 

621, 698 

999,308 

693, 786 

913,677 

583, 415 

819,686 

the  United  States.  The 
fen  in  Mineral  Resources 
gnres  were  furnished  by 
I  to  me  directly  by  this 
sluded  colce.    sliipments 


STATISTICS    OV    LAKK    COMMKRCE. 

Taiilr  XIII. 
Shipment*  of  coal  from  .Milieaukee.a 


9S 


Tear. 


Net  tons. 


Year. 


Net  ton 


Yenr. 


mi. 

1872. 
1878. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876. 
1877. 


22,960  1878. 

24,872  1879. 

26,615  1880. 

27,619  1881. 

39,172  1882. 

44,409  1883. 
63,025  :  1884. 


61,041  j  1885. 
58,560   1886. 


Net  tons. 


Year. 


66,390  1H87. 

121,885  1888. 

181,444  1889. 

235,771      1890 522,618 

205,061  1    1891 1      600,888 


269,277   I  1892 

284,803      

205, 439 
453, 837 
413, 408 


i 


1893. 
1894. 
1895. 
1896. 


Net  tons. 


469, 144 
532,993 
432, 768 
640,  470 
446, 683 


a  Compiled  from  the  aunaal  reports  of  the  Milwaultee  Cliamber  of  Commerce. 


L 


VXKV  V 


THE  LUMBER  BUSINESS  AND  LAKE  TRANSPORTATION. 

Of  tilt' commodities  carried  in  large  quantities  upon  the  Great  Lakes, 
lumber  alone  remains  to  be  treated.  The  lumber  traftic,  in  striking 
contrast  witli  the  ore,  coal,  and  the  flour  and  grain  business,  is  waning.' 
Because  of  the  nioagerness  of  data,  the  total  movement  of  forest  products 
on  the  lakes  can  not  be  presented  for  a  series  of  years.  That  there  has 
been  a  falling  oil"  in  the  movement  of  this  important  commodity  is, 
however,  clearly  shown  by  the  receipts  of  lumber  by  lake,  at  the  great 
lumber  uuirts  of  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  liuffalo,  Touawauda,  Cleveland, 
Toledo,  and  Detroit.'' 

The  decline  in  the  movement  of  forest  products  on  the  Great  Lakes 
is  largely  due  to  the  destruction  of  forests  of  white  and  Norway  pine 
on  the  shores  of  the  lakes  and  on  the  banks  of  the  logging  streams 
flowiiig  into  the  lakes.  The  enormous  drafts  that  have  been  made  dur- 
ing half  a  century  upon  the  once  seemingly  unlimited  supplies  of 
Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota  have  in  recent  years  well  nigh 
exhausted  the  forests  near  the  lakes  and  on  the  banks  of  the  streams 
capable  of  floating  logs.  Stream  after  stream  has  sent  down  its  last 
logs.  The  mills  at  Saginaw  and  at  other  points  on  the  Huron  shore  of 
the  lower  peninsula  of  Michigan  are  now  in  a  large  measure  supplied 
with  logs  rafted  from  the  Georgian  Bay  district  of  Ontario.'  The 
Ivalamazoo,  the  Grand,  the  Betsie,  and  the  Bear  rivers  of  western 
Michigan  have  ceased  to  be  logging  streams,  and  the  White,  Muskegon, 
and  the  r»'re  Marquette  will  soon  join  them.  The  Wolf  River  of  Wis- 
consin, that  once  carried  down  large  quantities  of  good  factory  pine, 

'  Tbf  statistics  of  this  truific  are  even  more  unsntisfiictory  than  those  of  the  coal 
business.  It  would  bo  futile,  therefore,  to  attempt  to  set  forth  the  present  volume, 
or  the  growth  and  decline  of  the  total  movement  of  lumber  on  the  lakes.  It  is  not 
anrprisini;  that  the  statistics  of  the  lumber  traffic  should  be  unsatisfactory,  for  the 
products  of  the  forest  are  numerous  and  varied  and  the  lumber  business  is  widely 
scattered  and  in  many  hands.  A  sinslo  "nit  of  measurement  usually  promotes 
accuracy.  Such  a  unit  is  impossible  where  the  products  are  as  diverse  as  posts, 
telegraph  poles,  shingles,  and  lumber.  Some  unit  of  weight  might  be  selected,  but 
lumber  is  not  bought  and  sold  by  weight,  and  if  weight  were  used  as  a  basis  ot 
measurement  no  idea  of  bulk  would  be  conveyed,  for  there  is  vast  diflerence  in  the 
weight  of  dry  and  green  lumber.  ,...,„,,      w  ,rTT      n. 

^  For  the  receipts  of  ^hese  cities,  see  Appendix  V,  Tables  I-VII.  There  la  no  reason 
for  inferring  that  the  aggregate  receipts  of  these  ports  now  form  a  less  proportion 
of  the  total  receipts  of  the  lake  ports  than  formerly. 

'  It  is  estimated  that  the  following  importations  of  logs  were  made  during  189b,  a 
poor  year  in  the  lumber  business: 

AtSacinaw  146,338,400 

AtDeTrott  20,269,000 

Mc&ga;;::::::::::::::::::::"::"::":::::: ^^Mm 

Total 253,759,846 

Marine  Review,  Jan.  7, 1897,  p.  13.) 


STATISTICS    OK    LAKE    i'OMMKRCK. 


95 


iRTATION. 

le  Great  Laken, 
fUc,  in  striking 
ies»,  in  waning.' 
forest  products 
That  there  has 
t  coiuniodity  is, 
kc,  at  the  great 
mla,  Cleveland, 

lie  Great  Lakes 
id  Norway  pine 
ogg'iii?  streams 
been  made  dar- 
ted supplies  of 
years  well  nigh 
i  of  the  streams 
it  down  its  last 
>  Huron  shore  of 
|easure  supplied 
■  Ontario.'  The 
vers  of  western 
hite,  Muskegon, 
»lf  Kiver  of  Wis- 
lod  factory  pine, 

II  those  of  the  coal 
;ho  pn'sent  volume, 
he  lakes.  It  is  not 
latist'actory,  for  the 
busiuess  is  widely 
t  usually  promotes 
is  cliverse  as  posts, 
ht  be  selected,  but 
used  as  a  baaia  of 
st  diilereiice  in  the 

There  is  no  reason 
n  a  leas  proportion 

nade  during  1896,  a 

Feet. 

146,338,400 

20,269,000 

19,()80,000 

27,472,446 

. -^ 40,000,000 

253,759,846 


will  Aoon  tloiit  no  logs,  and  the  cut  of  timber  in  the  (}n>en  Hay  shore 
district  is  on  the  decline. 

With  the  depletion  of  the  forests  of  white  and  Norway  pine  contigu- 
ous to  the  lakes  and  near  the  rivers  flowing  into  the  lakes,  the  trans- 
portation situation  has  been  radically  altered.  As  the  liindxTmen 
have  been  force<l  to  go  farther  and  farther  into  the  interior,  the  rail- 
roads have  found  it  correspondingly  easier  to  compete  with  the  lake 
carriers.  This  has  followed  because  in  a  great  many  cases  it  lias  not 
])aid  to  haul  the  logs  to  the  logging  streams  flowing  into  the  lakes  or  to 
transport  them  directly  to  the  mill  at  the  lake  side.  The  former  plan  has 
also  been  growing  in  disfavor  for  «)tlier  reasons.  Logs  in  some  districts 
now  have  considerable  value  and  a  good  nnuiy  are  lost  in  floating  them 
to  the  mills.  Then,  too,  there  nuiy  be  delays  in  driving  the  logs  because 
of  ice  or  a  lack  of  water.  Now,  as  the  cost  involved  in  moving  the  logs 
from  the  remote  districts  to  the  lake  shore  is  often  suflicient  to  prevent 
such  movement,  the  logs  are  sawed  at  mills  located  at  interi(»r  points. 
From  these  interior  mills  the  lumber  generally  goes  to  market  by  rail, 
for  the  cost  of  shipping  by  the  combined  rail  and-water  route  with  its 
charges  for  transsliipment  is  greater  than  tliat  by  the  all  rail  lines. 

There  are  also  other  factors  that  make  it  advantageous  to  ship  by  the 
all  rail  lines  from  the  interior  mills.  The  railroads  have  better  termi- 
nals in  the  large  ports.  This  factor  is  often  of  sufflcieiit  importance  to 
determine  whether  lumber  is  to  go  by  the  all  rail  or  lake  and-rail  lines. 
With  the  rapid  increase  of  the  ])opulation  of  many  of  the  lake  cities, 
the  local  trade  has  grown  wonderfully,  and  in  some  instances  now 
exceeds  the  out-of  town  or  wholesale  business.'  The  growth  of  the 
retail  business  is  of  significance,  because  ic  necessitates  the  delivery 
of  lumber  to  localities  remote  from  the  docks.  To  avoid  the  large 
expense  involved  in  the  cartage,  lumber  yards  are  established  in  the 
outlying  districts  and  suburbs.  These  yards  find  it  advantageous  to 
receive  their  stocks  directly  by  rail,  particularly  where  there  is  no  extra 
charge  for  switching.  In  cities  covering  a  vast  extent  of  territory,  the 
cost  of  delivering  bulky  articles,  such  as  coal  and  lumber,  by  team  from 
a  central  point,  often  forms  a  large  proportion  of  the  price  paid  for  the 
commodities.  It  is  therefore  highly  desirable  to  carry  such  commodi- 
ties as  near  the  point  of  consumption  as  possible  by  cheaper  means  of 
transportation.    The  railroads  furnish  this  economical  form  of  carriage. 

Transportation  by  rail  has  still  other  points  in  its  favor.  An  order 
for  a  special  class  of  lumber  can  be  sent  to  a  mill  or  scattered  among 
different  mills  and  readily  filled.  It  is  unnecessary  to  purchase  a 
whole  shipload  of  one  or  moi;p  kinds  of  lumber  in  order  to  lay  in  a  stock 
of  a  certain  class.  Then,  too,  the  lumber  comes  to  the  yard  on  cars, 
from  which  it  can  be  easily  handled.  To  a  large  extent  it  can  be  taken 
directly  to  the  consumer  from  the  car,  thus  avoiding  the  expense  of 
movement  in  the  yard  and  piling.  Often  all  the  expense  and  delay 
incident  to  handling  lumber  in  the  yard  at  the  distributing  point  is 
obviated,  for  the  cars  can  be  rebilled  to  the  country  dealer.  It  thus 
appears  that  shipment  by  rail  has  three  distinct  advantages  to  offer : 
(1)  expedition;  (2)  economy  of  labor  in  handling;  (3)  the  dealer  can 
obtain  just  what  he  wants  and  no  more,  and  thus  is  not  forced  to  unbal- 
ance his  stock,  as  he  is  obliged  to  do  when  buying  by  the  cargo.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  the  railroads  frequently  move  large  quantities  of  lumber. 


>  An  examination  of  Table  I,  Appendix  Y,  will  ahow  the  extent  of  the  local  con- 
sumption in  Chicago.  In  1897,  the  receipts  of  lumber  aggregated  1,406,580  M.  feet, 
while  the  shipmenta  were  but  574,743  M.  feet,  or  very  much  less  than  one-half  the 
receipts. 


r.*,v: 


H 


STATrSTICS   OP    LAKK    COMMERCE. 


('ertiiin  claHscH  of  lumber  in  tlieyiinlM  heroine  e\hauHto(1,tin(],  ns  tlioro 
are  no  boatH  moving,  MtoekH  niUHt  be  replenislied  by  riiii ;  or  tlie  demand 
may  l)e  greater  tliaii  was  expected,  nuikiiig  necessary  accessions  by  rail. 
Altered  methods  of  doing  business  at  the  mills  also  in  ]>art  explain 
the  greater  rail  movement.  It  is  becoming  the  custom  to  .sort  lumber 
where  it  issa\ve<l,  and  it  is  therefore  jmssible  to  All  orders  of  cimsumers 
and  country  dealers  directly  from  the  mills.  These  consignmentH  gen- 
erally go  by  rail.  Formerly  the  sorting  was  done  by  the  wholesalers 
at  the  great  distributing  centers  about  the  lakes,  who  bought  supplies 
by  the  cargo  and  often  made  a  large  portion  of  their  protlts  by  a  nice 
manipulation  of  the  mixed  stoiiks  received.  This  revolution  in  handling 
lumber  has  worked  itself  out  very  fully  on  the  Saginaw  Kiver,  and  a 
description  of  the  change,  in  the  words  of  iMr,  E.  I).  Cowles,  will  *■ 
inserted : 

A  few  vfliirs  nno  thi-  inimiifivotiirer,  wi(  hardly  iin  exception,  Mold  hJH  product  l>y 
the  (!ftrK<i,  mid  it  wiw  shipped  liy  water  to  other  citleM,  where  the  tiiiur  rauui|itilntion 
of  the  Htot^k  iiiadti  business  for  lar«e  cupital  and  Hrniies  of  mechanics  and  laborers. 
Now  the  nianiifrtctiiriT  sorts  his  stock  and  sells  it  in  car  lots  as  wanted  bv  the  con- 
snnicr.  In  other  words,  be  ciimbineH  the  bnsiness  of  wholesaler  with  that  of  the 
retailer,  and  this  acconnts  in  large  measure  for  the  falling  oH  in  lalce  shipmeuts. 
Local  dealers  who  do  not  operate  manufacturing  plants  also  havu  established  yards 
and  buy  lumber  at  interior  points  iu  the  State  and  on  this  river,  sort  it  upor(!onvort 
it  into  box  material  or  i>lain  stock,  and  ship  it  out  by  rail  to  their  consumers. 

The  extent  of  the  change  in  the  kind  of  transportation  employed  iu 
moving  the  lumber  of  the  Saginaw  lliver  to  market  is  made  clear  by 
the  subjoined  table : 

l.ake  and  rail  ahi^mentu  of  lumber  from  Saginaw  Hirer  pointn.  * 


Tear. 


Kail. 


Fe*t. 

188!! U9,fl72,000 

1886 n8.5UO,00« 

1887 261,900,000 

1888 ;t04,8«2.W)0 

1889 a52,500,Ol)O 

1890 401,847,000 

1891 408,268,000 


Lakv. 


Feel. 
AKO.  SSfl,  000 
6U1,01S<.  100 
48A,  285,  000 
4M,»01.000 
432, 130, 000 
409,  »72.  OUO 
404, 677, 000 


Tear. 


1892.. 
1803.. 
18U4  .. 
1895.. 
1896.. 
1897.. 


Ball. 

Lake. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

427,  490.  0()0 

347, 866, 091 

360, 000,  (HK) 

173,154,000 

381,450,000 

182,  «00,  017 

393, 627, 000 

130,120,632 

280,  572,  500 

68,743,000 

370, OOO,  000 

89,137,511 

*  The  lumber  luaniifaaturing  dlHtrlot  of  the  Saginaw  Kiver  is  a  narrow  atrip  of  land  lesa  than  half  a 
mile  widi!  and  18  iuile»loni;.  Within  tliifinroH  tlierehas  i>eon  mnniil'actiired  u  larger  amount  of  lumber 
than  In  nnv  other  district  of  oqunl  nrpft  in  the  worid.  Since  1851,  22,94.3,072,900  feet  of  lumber  have 
been  out.  The  rail  ahipmeutH  fur  1807  are  entiuiatetl.  The  table  waa  compiled  by  K.  D.  Cuwlea  and  la 
Trorthy  of  oonfidenco. 

Perhaps  the  ultimate  destination  of  the  Jnmber  has  in  part  changed 
during  the  period  covered  by  the  table,  so  that  the  lake  carriers  are  not 
in  so  favorable  a  position  to  compete  for  it  as  formerly.  Upon  this 
point  no  information  is  at  hand. 

In  some  of  the  great  lumbering  districts  the  mills  are  now  kept  run- 
ning daring  a  large  portion  of  the  year  on  hard  wood.  The  total  output 
of  the  districts  about  the  Great  Lakes  is  in  part  maintained  in  this  way. 
During  1897,  464,380,000  feet  of  hard-wood  lumber  were  produced.' 

The  change  from  pine  to  hard  wood  is  of  great  significance,  for  hard- 
wood logs  are  so  heavy  that  they  do  not  tioat;  and  they  are  thereforie 
generally  sawed  at  interior  mills.  It  has  already  been  pointed  out  that 
the  lake  carriers  are  at  a  disadvantage  in  competing  with  the  railroads 
from  the  interior  mills,  for  the  local  rail  rates  to  the  shipping  ports  are 
high  and  the  lumber  must  be  transshipped. 


■  Northwestern  Lumberman,  January  22, 1898,  p.  10. 


0*1,  uih],  ns  thnro 
;  or  t lie  demand 
cos.siuiiH  by  rail. 
)  ill  ])art  explain 
n  to  8urt  Imnlier 
M'H  of  eonsiiiiiers 
iiHigniuentH  geii- 

tlie  wholeHalorH 
l)onglit  supplies 
protlts  l>y  a  nice 
iHoii  in  handling 
aw  liiver,  and  a 

(Jowles,  will  ^. 


xohi  hiH  product  liy 
litutrrauuipiilatiuii 

laiilcH  liiid  liiborers. 

wiiiited  by  tli»  con- 

nr  with  that  of  the 
iu  Iski-  Hhi|iraeiitM. 

u  eHtablished  yiirds 

tort  it  ii]>  or  <;onvert 

ir  ooiiBiiii]er§, 


HTATI8TICH    OF    LAKI-:    COMMEKC'B. 


»f 


tion  employed  iu 
iH  made  clear  by 

oointH.  * 

Kail. 

L«ke. 

Feel. 

7,  490.  OOO 
0,  000,  000 
1.460,00!) 
1, 027, 000 
0, 572,  500 
0, 000,  000 

Feet. 
^47, 8«e,  0»I 
nu,  154,  OUO 
182, 600, 017 
1»6,120,0a2 
88,743,000 
80,137,511 

I  of  land  lesi  than  half  ii 
larger  amount  of  lumber 
,000  fi>et  of  lumber  h«ve 
i  by  K.  D.  Cowlea  and  is 


in  part  changed 
e  carriers  are  not 
erly.     Upon  this 

re  now  kept  run- 
The  total  output 
lined  iu  this  way. 
re  produced.^ 
iicance,  for  hard- 
liey  are  thereforia 
pointed  out  that 
nth  the  railroads 
lipping  ports  are 


10. 


Itcfore  cloHing  tlio  discii^siou  of  tlie  declining  movement  of  lumber 
on  tlie  lakes,  something  must  be  said  about  the  inethodH  of  transship- 
ment.  Too  much  attention  vau  not  be  given  to  this  subject,  for  it  may 
in  a  general  way  be  said  that  the  railro-.ulM  are  competing  most  succeHH 
fully  for  tliosecommtxlities  wh(/>**<  trauM^thip'ient  cliargOH  have  not  fallen 
rapidly.'  The  neues.sjtv  of  transfi-r  has  ulwuyN  been  a  handicap  upon' 
tlie  lake  carriers,  and  wht'ir^'  thecontut  trauHHhipincnt  liaH  not  fallen  an 
freight  rates Mutve  fallen  tl>  s  burden  has  been  an  increasing  one.  It 
may  be  sai<l,  almost  without  qualitlcation,  that  no  iniprovi'ments  have 
been  made  in  handling  lumber  on  the  docks.  Evcrythintris  now  done, 
as  it  was  a  half  century  ago,  by  main  strength.  Practically  all  the 
work  is  accomplished  by  manual  labor.  Ma(;hiuery  is  used  to  a  very 
''*nited  extent  in  hoisting  ])o.st8  and  ties  from  the  ship's  hold,  but 
luuiber  is  still  Ijandled  in  the  pri  Mtive  way. 

The  absence  of  mechanical  ajip.  snces  for  handling  forest  products 
is  no  doubt  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  most  of  these  jiroducts  do  not 
readily  lend  themselves,  by  reason  of  their  form,  to  mechanical  manipu- 
lation. However,  the  difliculties  to  be  overcome  do  not  appear  to  be 
insuperable,  and  if  the  lumber  traffic  on  the  lakes  were  a  growing 
instead  of  a  declining  business,  and  iu  the  hands  of  large  companies 
with  abundant  capital,  it  would  be  safe  to  preditrt  that  a  way  would  be 
found  to  reduce  the  cost  of  transshipment  by  the  larger  use  of  machin- 
ery. It  would  be  profitable,  if  a  large  volume  of  business  were  to  be 
handled,  to  exiiend  large  sums  upon  suitable  terminal  facilities.  Per- 
haps, in  order  to  accomplish  this  end,  some  changes  would  have  to  be 
made  in  the  vessels,  but  these  would  be  introduced.  The  explanation 
of  the  persistence  of  the  primitive  methods  of  handling  lumber  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  the  lumber  tratflc  on  the  lakes  is  declining,  and 
that  the  same  companies  seUhmi  own  the  mills,  fleets,  and  distributing 
yards.  The  greatest  economy  iu  transshipment  is  found  where  the 
terminals  and  the  fleets  are  adapted  to  each  other,  and  this  adaptation 
is  most  easily  secured  where  entire  control  rests  in  one  maiia|>eiiient. 

A  treatment  of  the  lumber  traffic'  upon  the  lakes  would  not  be  com- 
plete without  some  description  of  the  lumber  fleet.  It  is  very  largely 
made  up  of  vessels  that  are  worthless  for  other  purposes.  When  a 
ship  is  no  longer  suitable  for  the  ore  or  tionr  and  grain  traffic,  it  is  put 
into  the  lumber  business,  where  it  is  good  for  a  number  of  years  of 
service.  This  follows  from  the  fact  that  a  vessel  loaded  with  lumber, 
although  water-logged,  does  not  sink,  and  because  the  cargo  sustains 
but  little  damage  from  its  contact  witlx  the  water.  Many  of  the  small 
vessels  on  the  lakes  are  in  the  lumber  business.  They  can  navigate 
the  rivers  that  are  too  shallow  for  the  large  vessels.  Most  of  the  ves- 
sels of  the  old  schooner  licet  have  been  transformed  into  barges  and 
are  now  engaged  in  the  lumber  tralfic.  Towing  originated  iu  the 
lumber  trade.  Mr.  .John  S.  Noyes,  of  Buffalo,  was  the  pioneer  who 
made  this  important  departure.  When  the  railroads  were  i)ushed 
westward  to  the  principal  lake  ports,  in  the  early  fifties,  the  fine  pas- 
senger and  general  cargo  steamers  that  were  then  numerous  upon  the 
lakes  lost  a  profitable  business.  In  186f ,  Mr.  Noyes  transformed  two 
of  these  ships,  which  had  long  been  idle,  into  barges.  These  vessels 
were  the  Empire  and  the  Sultana.  In  1862,  he  changed  another  vessel 
(the  St.  Lawrence)  into  a  barge.'    These  barges  were  towed  by  the  tug 

'  For  loading  and  nnloadiDg  eharjres,  si\e  Appendix  V,  Table  VII. 
''  For  freight  rates,  see  Appendix  V,  Table  VIII. 
^  Barges  were  at  first  called  "  Tows." 

H.  Doc.  277 7 


98 


STATISTICS   OF   LAKE    COMMERCE. 


V 


Reindeer.  JNIr.  Noyes's  venture  proving  successful,  towing  increased 
rapidly,  and  about  1870  another  important  innovatiou  was  made;  the 
tugs  were  sui>planted  by  a  i)ropeller,  which  also  carried  a  cargo.' 

It  has  alreaciy  been  stated  that  the  movement  of  lumber  on  the  lakes 
has  been  declining.  Bt;fore  many  years  it  may  be  expected  to  fall  off 
rapidly.  Pine  must  continue  to  be,  as  it  has  been  in  the  past,  the 
main  reliance  of  the  vessel  owners.  The  supplies  that  can  be  drawn 
upon  are  about  as  follows: 

■White  iiiul  Norway  pine:-  ^•'*'*- 

l^owerpfiiinsiilaof  MicLitjart 3,000,000,000 

Upper  p.-iiiiisnla  of  Miiiiigiin 4,000.000,000 

Wisconsin 10.000,000,000 

Minm'sota 12,000,000,000 

Province  of  Ontario 19,404,000,000 

Mr.  Andrews,  chief  fire  warden  of  Minnesota,  estim'ates  that  there 
are  20,200,475,000  feet  of  pine  still  standing  in  Minnesota,'  and  others 
have  raised  his  estimate.  The  authorities  also  differ  on  the  amount  of 
standing  timber  in  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  but  their  estimates  do  not 
vary  so  widely  as  in  the  case  of  Minnesota.  This  is  to  be  expected, 
for  the  resources  of  Michigan  and  Wisconsin  are  well  known,  while 
those  of  Minnesota  are  comparatively  unknown. 

As  the  output  of  pine  lumber  from  logs  cut  in  Michigan,  Wiscon- 
sin, and  Minnesota  during  1897  was  nearly  6,000,000,000  feet,  and  in 
prosperous  years  has  exceeded  8,000,000,000,^  it  will  readily  be  seen 
that  the  timber  resources  of  these  states  will  soon  be  exhausted.® 
With  the  depletion  of  the  timber  supplies  of  Michigan,  Wisconsin, 
Minnesota,  and  the  Province  of  Ontario,  the  movement  of  lumber  on 
the  lakes  will  lose  its  present  importance.* 

In  addition  to  the  pine,  there  is  a  vast  amount  of  hemlock  and  hard 
wood  standing  in  Michigan  and  Wisconsin  and  a  limited  quantity  in 
Minnesota.''  A  portion  of  the  lumber  sawed  from  this  timber  will  be 
carried  to  market  by  water.  But  the  bulk  of  the  hard- wood  lumber  will 
be  transported  by  rail,  for  reasons  that  have  already  been  given.  Hem- 
lock logs  can  be  floated  to  the  lake-side  mills,  but  a  large  portion,  per- 
haps the  lion's  share,  of  the  hemlock  will  be  taken  to  market  by  rail, 
for  the  good  timber  has  already  been  stripped  from  the  lake  side  and 
the  banks  of  the  streams.    The  better  growths  of  hemlock  are  now  sit- 

'  For  this  historical  information  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  George  W.  Hotchkiss,  who 
assisted  Mr.  Noyes  in  pushing  bis  enterprise  to  success. 

*The  estimates  for  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota  are  those  of  Mr.  George 
W.  Hotchkiss,  and  the  estimate  for  Ontario  is  that  given  in  the  Report  of  the  Forest 
Wealth  of  Canada,  1895,  p.  182.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  all  statements  covering  the 
amount  of  standing  timber  are  in  the  nature  of  things  merely  estimates.  Ibose 
here  given  are,  liowever,  made  by  persons  well  informeof  about  the  timber  resources 
of  these  districts. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that  all  the  lumber  cut  from  this  timber  may  be  carried 
over  the  lakes.  Much  of  it  is  so  far  removed  from  the  lake  shore  that  it  will  go  to 
market  by  rail. 

'  Northwestern  Lumberman,  July  3, 1897,  p.  3. 

^For  tlie  lumber  cut  at  the  mills  of  the  Northwest  since  1873,  see  Appendix 
V,  Table  IX.  The  figures  just  given  include  the  output  of  lumber  sawed  from  logs 
imported  from  Ontario. 

'^Tlie  fear  of  forest  fires  and  windstorms  in  a  measure  prevents  the  owners  of  tim- 
ber fi-om  reserving  it  for  the  future. 

"  In  recent  years  there  has  been  some  trafllc  in  Pacific-coast  lumber  and  shingles. 
This  business  will  probably  increase,  but  would  be  checked  by  tlie  construction  of 
the  Nicaragua  Canal. 

'According  to  the  estimates  made  by  Mr.  George  W.  Hotchkiss  the  hemlock  of 
Michigan  and  Wisconsin  combined  exceeds  the  pine  of  these  two  states,  and  the  hard 
wood  exceeds  the  pine  several  fold. 


owing  increased 
was  made;  the 

(1  Ji  cargo.' 
iber  on  the  lakes 

)ected  to  fall  off 
in  the  past,  the 
at  can  be  drawn 


Foet. 
...  3,000,000,000 
...  4,000.000,000 
...  10.000,000,000 
...  12,000,000,000 
...   19,404,000,000 


nates  that  there 
sota, '  and  others 
on  the  amount  of 
e.stimates  do  not 
to  be  expected, 
ell  known,  while 

ichigan,  Wiacon- 
,000  feet,  and  in 
[  readily  be  seen 
1  be  exhausted.^ 
igan,  Wisconsin, 
ant  of  lumber  on 

endock  and  hard 
nited  quantity  in 
lis  timber  will  be 
wood  lumber  will 
een  given.  Hem- 
U'ge  portion,  per- 
»  market  by  rail, 
the  lake  side  and 
dock  are  now  sit- 

W.  Hotckkiss,  who 

those  of  Mr.  George 
Report  of  the  Forest 
lenieuts  covering  the 
It  estimates.  Those 
the  timber  resonroea 

nber  may  be  carried 
•re  th&t  it  will  go  to 


1873,  see  Appendix 
ber  sawed  from  logs 

8  the  owners  of  tim- 

iimber  and  sliingles. 
■  the  construction  of 

kiss  the  hemlock  of 
states,  and  the  hard 


STATISTICS    OF   LAKE    COMMERCE.  99 

aated  well  back  from  the  logging  streams,  and  the  logs  are  therefore 
likely  to  be  sawed  at  the  interior  mills  and  the  lumber  taken  to  market 
by  rail. 

Estimates  of  the  amount  of  standing  pine  in  the  statvs  contiguous 
to  the  lakes  have  been  given.  A  prediction  as  to  the  inroads  that  will 
be  made  into  this  supply  during  live  years  of  active  demand  has  been 
ventured  by  the  Northwestern  Lumberman,  and  will  be  inserted: 

The  pine  of  lower  Michigan  and  the  upper  peDinNula  of  that  State  will  be  well 
nigh  gone  [in  iire  years].  A  few  of  theold-niill  concerns  at  Menominee-Marinette 
wul  still  be  sawing  ]>iue,  but  the  majority  will  either  have  dismantled  their  mills  or 
will  be  keeping  theui  alive  by  cutting  hem'.ock  and  the  hard  woods  and  working  up 
cedar  for  shingles.  The  mills  at  the  lesser  points  will  not  be  cutting  pine  five  years 
from  now.  I'lne  production  will  have  been  driven  back  to  the  west  end  of  Lake 
Superior  and  into  northern  Minnesota.  The  red  oak  of  Wisconsin  will  have  beea 
about  cleared  out.  Scattering  mills  throughout  the  northern  country  from  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  tbe  Sno  will  be  pounding  away  on  maple,  elm,  bass  wood,  hemlock,  etc., 
with  such  overlooked  groups  of  pine  as  may  be  encountered  in  scraping  the  land  of 
timber.  *  *  '•  Five  years  of  prosperity,  with  the  enormous  demand  which  will 
result,  will  cause  such  a  melting  away  of  the  northern  forest  resour<'6s  as  can  scarcely 
be  realized.' 

This  picture  may  be  somewhat  overdrawn;  but  if  the  prediction 
made  be  verified  forest  products,  which  rank  second  among  the  com- 
modities received  at  the  lake  ports  during  the  last  census  year,^  will 
fall  out  of  the  first  rank  and  be  classed  with  the  minor  commodities  live 
years  hence. 

What  may  be  hoped  for  from  a  tempts  to  reforest  the  pine  lands  can 
not  be  answered  satisfactorily,  fr  r  on  tliis  point  the  authorities  differ. 
Some  hold  that  pine  does  not  g:  ow  at  once  upon  land  from  which  pine 
has  just  been ,  removed,  and  some  admit  that  pine  will  grow,  but  that 
the  first  growths  will  be  low,  scraggy,  and  full  of  knots,  and  therefore 
nnfit  for  the  manufacture  of  lumber.  Other  authorities  insist  that  good 
pine  can  at  once  be  reproduced  if  (1)  forest  fires  are  prevented  and  (2) 
the  ^young  sprouts  be  preserved  from  the  depredations  of  live  stock. 
In  support  of  their  contention  they  cite  the  experience  of  New  England. 
But  even  if  it  be  possible  to  restore  the  pine  it  would  require  a  long 
period  of  years  for  the  trees  to  attain  sufficient  size  for  the  manufacture" 
of  lumber,  and  in  the  meantime  existing  supplies  would  long  have  been 
e'.hausted. 

Although  the  depletion  of  the  forests  of  Michigau,Wisconsin,  and  Min 
nesota  is  of  itself  of  great  moment  to  the  lake  carriers,  it  becomes  doubly 
important  because  of  its  secondary  effect.  For  years  the  railroads  run- 
ning out  from  the  upper  lake  ports  to  the  prairies  of  the  West  have 
found  in  lumber  a  west-bound  freight.  Oars  cr:.'iing  in  with  grain  and 
live  stock  have  been  sent  back  loaded  with  lumber.    Lumber  has  long 

'  Northwestern  Lumberman,  January  8,  1898,  p.  3.  Mr.  O.  S.  Whitniore,  formerly 
editor  of  Hardwood,  and  Mr.  George  W.  Hotchkiss  in  the  main  agree  with  this  pre- 
diction. 

■^  In  the  last  Census  Ri'port  on  Transportation  by  Water,  coal  and  coke  were  grouped 
together,  and  their  combined  movement  just  about  equaled  that  of  lumber.  The 
figures  are  as  follows : 


Receipts.  !  Shipments. 


Tons. 

Lumber ; 6, 857, 257 

Coal  anil  coku j     5, 162.471 


Tons. 
S,  348,  .188 
6, 105, 799 


The  receipts  and  shipments  are  the  total  receipts  an<l  shipments  of  all  American 
lake  ports.     (Eleventh  Genans,  Transportation  Business,  Part  II,  p.  308.) 

LoFC. 


100 


STATISTICS    OF   LAKE    COMMERCE. 


been  one  of  the  princii)al  weat-bound  commodities.  Its  loss,  therefore, 
will  be  severeVv  felt.  The  failure  of  the  Northwestern  timber  supplies 
comes  at  a  very  inopportune  time  for  the  vessel  interests  of  the  lakes. 
The  railroads  running  to  the  western  Gulf  ports  are  Just  beginning  the 
struggle  for  the  grain  traffic  of  the  central  West.  The  exhaustion  of 
the  timber  resources  of  the  lake  region  means  that  the  great  treeless 
regions  of  the  West  will  be  forced  in  a  large  measure  to  obtain  their 
lumber  from  the  South. 

This  means  that  the  north  and  south  bound  railroads  will  in  the  future 
be  assured  a  growing  north  bound  traffic,  and  as  a  result  they  will  be 
placed  in  a  position  where  they  can  compete  more  successfully  for  the 
grain  traffic  with  the  east  and  west  bound  railroads  leading  to  the  lakes. 
In  the  past  the  Gulf  railroads  have  been  hampered  by  a  lack  of  north- 
bound traffic,  but  in  the  future  they  will  be  assured  a  large  north  bound 
business  in  lumber.  Briefly  stated,  the  exhaustion  of  the  forests  of  the 
lake  country  will  mean  the  loss  of  west-bound  traffic  to  the  railroads 
reaching  the  lakes  and  a  gain  of  north-bound  traffic  by  the  railroads 
terminating  in  the  Gulf  ports.  The  former  railroads  will  therefore  be 
less  advantageously  situated  in  the  struggle  for  the  grain  business  now 
under  way,  and  the  latter  railroads  will  be  more  strongly  intrenched. 
The  significance  of  these  altered  relations  to  the  lake  carriers  scarcely 
needs  to  be  pointed  out.  It  means  that  less  grain  will  arrive  at  lake 
ports  to  be  carried  East, 


Appendix  V. 

TABLES  RELATING  TO  THE  LUMBER  TRAFFIC. 

Table  I. 

Chicago  receipts  and  ehipments  of  lumber  and  shinglee  by  Me  and  rail.* 


Lumber.                               | 

Sliingles. 

Year.        1    Kecelpts 
by  lake. 

Receipts 
by  rail. 

Total 
receipts. 

Shipments. 

Receipts 
by  lake. 

Receipts       Total 
by  mil.     receipt*. 

Ship- 
ment*. 

Mfeet. 

1860 264.499 

18«1 235,668 

1862 295,270 

1868  o 392,800 

1884a 480,165 

18660 614,020 

18660 687,851 

18670 830,035 

1868 965,860 

1869 967,897 

1870 079,759 

1871 084,  7.58 

1872 1,017,319 

Mfeet. 
7,906 
13, 640 
10,404 
20,501 
21,  427 
33, 125 
42, 206 
62, 626 
62,634 
29, 839 
39,  239 
64,570 
106,  340 
102.  730 
66,  337 
66,  594 

UH,  iioy 

63.  851 

87, 498 

118.729 

141,  805 

Mfeet. 

262, 404 

249. 308 

305,  874 

413,  301 

601,  692 

647, 145 

730, 057 

882, 661 

1,028,494 

997, 736 

1,018,998 

1.  039,  32S 

1, 183,  659 

1,123.308 

1,060,088 

1, 147. 193 

1, 039,  785 

1,  066,  452 

1, 180,  686 

1, 469, 878 

1, 561,  779 

Mfeet. 
225, 372 
189, 478 
188, 277 
221,799 
269, 486 
386,  353 
422,  313 
618, 973 
551, 988 
581,  633 
683, 490 
641,222 
417,  980 
561,544 
619,  278 
628.  485 
576. 124 
686,  722 
626,735 
753, 179 
925, 682 

M. 

127,803 
79,296 
131,255 
162,  436 
133, 600 
193,  230 
197, 169 
234,917 
297, 176 
366,  843 
360,  561 
401, 346 
302,  623 
294,  548 
366, 490 
420.  298 
456.  404 
464,  880 
606,841 
588,  362 
583, 340 

if. 

91 
60 

M. 
127,894 
70,356 
131,256 
172, 364 
190, 169 
310, 897 
409, 125 
447, 039 
514, 434 
673, 166 
652,  001 
617,  695 
610,  824 
,-)17, 023 
580, 673 
635, 708 
566, 977 
546,  409 
692,  544 
670,644 
649,  546 

jr. 

168,302 
94,421 
66,761 

i9,929 

50,  ,569 

117,667 

202, 956 

212, 122 

217,258 

306, 323 

301,630 

246, 249 

308, 201 

223, 375 

215, 183 

216,410 

110,  573 

81,  529 

86, 603 

82, 282 

66, 2ue 

102,684 
188, 497 
268. 351 
422,  338 
480,930 
637,  497 
638,317 
666,  247 
558,385 
436,  827 

1873 1,020,638 

1874 993,761 

1876 1,080,599 

1876 971,416 

1877 1,002,5111 

1878 1,093,088 

1879 1,351,149 

1880 1,419,974 

407,605 
370, 19« 
299, 426 
214, 389 
170,410 
123,  233 
146,  820 
184,376 

♦This  table  was  compiled  from  the  reports  of  the  Clilcago  Board  of  Trade.  The  movemfnts  by 
lake  are  bancd  upon  tlie  ciiHtomhoiise  recordK  ami  the  niovemeiits  by  r.iil  wore  obtained  directly  Irom 
the  railroad  coinpanios.  Tlie  ilgures.  particularly  for  tlie  early  years,  do  not  reflect  with  the  jfi-eateat 
acciiracY  ilio  movement  of  lumber  and  shingles  to  and  from  Chicago.  Ihe  limited  receipts  by  the 
canal  are  ini:luded  in  the  receli)lM  by  rail.  In  recent  years  a  large  amount  ot  lumber  has  been  received 
from  the  South  by  rail.  .       ^       ,        ,     j 

a  Bu!«rd  of  trade  year,  which  ended  three  mouths  after  the  calendar  year. 


STATISTICS    01    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


tot 


loss,  therefore, 
iinber  supplies 
s  of  the  lakes. 
I  bepuning  the 
exhaustion  of 
*  great  treeless 
to  obtain  their 

ill  ill  the  future 
It  tliey  will  be 
jssfully  for  the 
ng  to  the  lakes. 

lack  of  north- 
?e  northbound 
e  forests  of  the 
a  the  railroads 
ly  the  railroads 
ill  therefore  be 
u  business  now 
^ly  intrenched, 
irriers  scarcely 

arrive  at  lake 


IC. 


and  rail.* 


ngles. 


)       Total 
reoeipta. 


Ship- 
ment*. 


M. 

127,894 
79,»56  I 
131, 255  I 
172,864  1 
190, 189  I 
310,897 
40U,120  { 
447,039  i 
514,434  ' 
673. 166  I 
B52,0ni  1 
617,  595  I 
61U,  824 
r)17,»23 
580,673 
035,708  I 
566, 977 
546,  409 
692,  544 
070,644 
649,  546 


K. 

168,303 
94,431 
85,761 
102,684 
138,497 
258. 361 
422, 339 
480,930 
537, 497 
638, 317 
666,  247 
558,386 
436, 827 
407,605 
370, 196 
299, 426 
214, 389 
170, 410 
123,  233 
146,820 
184,375 


1.  The  movenunta  by 
obtuined  directly  Irom 
Heft  with  the  jfieftteit 
imitpd  receipts  by  the 
obor  hoH  been  received 


Chicayo  receipU  and  shipments  of  Inmbtrand  shinnies  by  lake  and  rail-Continued. 


Lniuber. 


Shingles. 


Year. 


1881... 
1882... 
1883... 
1884... 
1885... 
1886. . . 
1887... 
1888... 
1880... 
1890... 
1891... 
1892. . . 
1893... 
1804. . . 
1895... 
1896.. 
1897.. 


Keceipts 
by  lake. 


Jf  feet. 
1, 657, 828 
1, 872, 976 
1,685,719 
1,  610, 1B6 
1,  504, 186 
1, 427, 795 
1,457,173 
1,626,408 
1, 447,  399 
1, 359, 921 
1, 359, 315 
1,  443,  769 
966,280 
1, 075,  763 
1, 073, 847 
779, 292 
917,212 


ReceiptB ' 
by  rail.  ■ 

I   M  feet. 
221,  099  ' 
244.  509  , 
224,191  I 
212, 149  ! 
240, 706 
315.189 
422,  995 
440,  510 
462,  (144 
581, 471 
086, 103 
760, 105 
645.  :i97 
480,  764 
564, 283 
.'i07,  351 
489,  368 


Total 
receipts. 

M  feet. 

1,878,922 

2, 117,  545 

1,909,910 

1,822,315 

1,744,802 

1, 742, 984 

1,  880. 168 

2,  (IP6,  927 
1,909,443 
1.941,392 
2,045,418 
2,  203,  874 
1,  miO,  677 
1,562,527 
1,6.38,131) 
1,286,043 
1, 406,  580 


^,, ,  .      Receipts 

Shipments,   jjy  ,„{(e 


31  feet. 
999.  572 

1,073,419 

1,004,816 
040, 147 
818,  474 
882, 672 
941, 636 
793, 171 
739,  707 
812, 056 
865, 949 

1,060,017 
719,254 
632, 069 
773, 983 
599,920 
574, 743 


31. 

772,  .584 
868, 279 

1,1113,841 
885,  091 
744, 101 
702,  809 
647, 153 
615, 132 
557,  201 
389, 195 
228,  589 

I  280, 326 
153,  764 
189,282 
147, 206 

I    1U6,  ra3 

I    198,781 


3f. 

91,331 
64,777 
55, 411 
34, 615 
51.057 
51,060 
40,  517 
62,213 
76.  364 
126, 380 
75, 306 
114,880 
85,811 
136, 093 
205, 107 
158, 602 
176,718 


31. 

863,915 
1133.  056 
.159.252 
919.  706 
795,  248 
813,  869 
687,  670 
677, 345 
033, 665 
515,  575 
303, 896 
395,  2(16 
239,  576 
325,  376 
3.12.  313 
265, 205 
372,499 


31. 

185,  334 

146,943 

91,  718 

64,256 

55,664 

102. 102 

72,286 

96,868 

158, 488 

108, 822 

99,856 

140,227 

219,716 

216, 666 

298, 836 

277, 329 

251. 208 


Tablk  II. 


Milwaukee  receipts  and  shipments  of  lumber  and  shingles  by  lake  and  rail." 


Year. 


1860 

1861 

1862 

1863 

1864 

1866.... 

1866.... 

1867.... 

1868.... 

1866.... 

1870.... 

1871.... 

1872.... 

1873.... 

1874.... 

1876.... 

1876. . . - 

1877.... 

1878.... 

1879.... 

1880.... 

1881.... 

1882.... 

1883.... 

1884 

1886 


Lumber. 


Receipts 


By  lake.  I  By  rail,  j    Total.       »»">**■      By  l»ke.     By  rail 


3[.feet.   I 
30, 124  ' 
56,654  I 
38,868  I 
29, 195 
34, 236 
33,  372 
48,612 
64,804 


31.  feet. 


963 
1,312 

8,684 
10, 287 
22,  695 


128,368 
123, 645 
108,067 
113,  822 
118, 675 
118,096 
156, 125 
132.  614 
135,  590 
171,  674 
145,807 
136, 921 
149, 156 

im.'.V. I     131,787 

1887 151,751 

1888 173,665 

1889 148,201 

1890 140,273 

1891 i     176,184 

1892 192,448 


Ship- 


Shingle 
Beoeipts — 


1893. 
1804. 
1806. 
1896. 
1897. 


167, 360 
144, 858 
146, 809 
119, 025 
150, 332 


7.640 
17,815 
26,309 
31,188 
23,  •.'08 
14, 894 
24. 5B7 
57, 824 
81,460 
86, 147 
79,  661 
94,241 
89, 101 
113.  768 
147,  368 
139. 189 
161,  509 
236, 957 
184,942 
206,  659 
1H7, 976 
41, 726 
51,  773 
44, 477 
39,045 


U.feel. 
31, 897 
66,554 
88, 868 
30, 158 
85,548 
42. 056 
58,896 
87,399 
94,023 
72, 383 
79, 491 
85,892 
91,303  I 
136,017  j 
141,460 
132,376 
145,010  ! 
141.883 
132,990  i 
180,722  i 
190,438  ' 
217, 040 
267, 821 
225, 468 
230, 162 
238, 257 
245.655 
299, 119 
I     312. 834 
I     309, 710 
1     877,280 
381,  126 
399, 107 
305, 336 
186,  584 
197,  582 
I     163. 502 
I     189, 377 


Jf./eet.  I 
19,511  ' 
26,439  i 
11,627 


21, 906 
32,890 
30, 788 
23,913 
19.289 
21,811 
18,  245 
29, 701 
36, 455 
35,  305 
40,916 

'"48,'926" 
61,  049 

"65^886'i 

65,  363  ! 

68,313  ! 

57,  275  ; 

43,631  > 

82.000  I 

117,  258  j 

ISO,  289  1 

144,846  i 

194.642    . 

174,388 

48,83ft 

f)2.  752 

16,  597 

21,505 

20,  704 

19, 186  i 


Jf.        I 

12, 871  I 

19,  001 

13,385 

7,971  ' 

3,327 

2. 589 


Total. 


Ship- 
ments. 


23,259  I 
31,318  I 
11, 030  ! 
23,  006  1 
32.  543  ; 
46,020  I 
42.  039  ! 
31,447  j 
86.853  ! 
32.204  I 
39.317 
38.  511 
42,128 
24.240 
10,920  I 
9,858 
23,1193 


69, 974 

149, 656 

193, 348 

156, 410 

142, 361 

115, 530 

118,372 

101,249 

151,272 

114, 124 

132,338 

81,730 

48,090 

52, 080 

58, 700 

68,400 

93. 200 


26,298 
35,524 
17,125 
14, 002 
5,827 
13,  5!)0 
10, 061 


81, 600 
7.250 
3,574 
1,303 
1,455 
1,400 
1,400 


M. 

12, 316 
19, 601 
13, 385 
7,971 
3,327 
2,  589 
19.585 
23, 319 
20,980 
25,928 
15,143 
31,318 
28, 524 
93, 2.33 
180, 974 
204,  378 
182, 416 
174, 004 
101.. 550 
160.411 
132, 696 
187. 125 
146.  328 
171, 6.53 
118,241 
90,218 
76,  320 
69,  62(1 
78, 258 
116,293 
134.  726 
107,  890 
42, 774 
20, 690 
15, 395 
7,282 
14,050 
11,461 


Jf. 

8,867 
7,421 
4,969 


10,703 
17, 188 
16, 407 
17, 658 
17,939 
10,328 
7,791 
24,067 
74,030 
132,484 
124,804 

""57,"  248 
67, 167 

'128^094 

83,596 

100,485 

45,777 

36,325 

33,396 

52,500 

41, 131 

59,100 

82,990 

79,300 

46,000 

8,090 

2,578 

4,400 

4,600 

3,100 


obtained  from  the  railroad  companies. 


102 


STATISTICS   OF   LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Table  III.— Part  1. 

lieceipti  of  lumber  anrf  shingles  at  Iliiffalo  bi/  lake  and  rail,* 
IKuriiislieil  by  Knowltoii  ilixer,  Hocretary  of  the  BuU'alo  Lumber  Exchange.] 


Year. 


Lnniber. 
By  lake.     Uy  rail. 


Shingles. 
Total.    I  By  lake.  I  By  rail.  I    Total. 


1876 119, 14fl 

1877 141,572 

1878 176,312 

1879 202,443 

1880 i  214. 16il 

1881 '  240,80'.' 

1882 248,100 

1883 233.  433 

1884 248.106 

1885 240,637 

1886 279,403 

1887 264.612 

1888 279.493 

1889 242,525 

1890 287,334 

1891 262,729 

1892 298.  980 

1893 289,751 

1894 239.  525 

1895 231.257 

1896 2(11 .  277 

1897  (estimated) ,  221,302 


if  feet.       M/eel.   ;    M/eet. 


31. 


M. 


M. 


636,  344 
587,  482 
410, 000 
398, 448 
409,  095 
420,  870 


935,324  ' 
874. 233 
649,  52.'; 
020. 705 
filO,  372 
648, 172 


44, 908 
37,  302 
37,  616 
52.716 
58,582 
36, 705 
58,  682 
36,  331 
73, 500 
44,905 
42,165 
50,807 
105,112 
92,  588 
103, 088 
110,401 


12,800 


123,  201 


*  Lake  receipts  are  based  upon  the  GiiRtom-house  records,  The  rail  receipts  are  taken  from  the 
monthly  reports  of  oars  made  to  the  fr('i;ilit  bureau  of  the  Merchants'  Exchange  by  the  various 
railromU.  Xlie  imports  and  exports  l)y  rail  are  estimated  from  the  number  of  cars  obtained  from  the 
railroads,  and  tlierofore  include  siiiugles  and  luthi. 


I 


Table  III.— Part  2. 

Receipts  of  railway  ties  at  liuffalo,  by  lake  and  rail.  * 
[Data  furnished  by  Knowlton  Mixer,  secretary  of  the  Batl'alo  Lumber  Exchange.] 


Year. 


By  lake.     By  rail, 


Xo. 

1882 840,200 

1883 275,920 

1884 100,000 

1885 87,500 

1886 54,780 

1887 93.080 

1888 190,600 

1889  442,570 


No. 
150,000 
550, 000 
180,  000 
200, 000 
100, 000 
50,000 
75,  000 
155, 000 


Year. 


I  By  lake.     By  rail. 


No. 

1890 197,110 

1891  238,570 

1892 312,600 

1803 2.3,000 

1894 196,117 

1895 133.928 

1896 199,04' 

1897 328,052 


No. 
150,000 
139,000 
411, 520 
175,000 
275,000 
263,500 
190,800 


I 


*  Lake  receipts  are  based  upon  the  custom-house  records.  The  rail  receipts  are  taken  from  the 
monthly  reports  of  cars  made  to  the  freight  bureau  of  the  Merchants'  Excliange  by  the  Tarious  rail- 
roads. 

Table  IV. 
Receipts  of  lumber,  laths,  and  shingles  at  Tonaivanda  by  lake.* 


Lumber.d 

Laths. 

Shingles. 

M. 

63,  435 
64,903 
68,712 
52, 232 
52, 581 

Lumber.  6 

Laths. 

Shingles. 

1887 

Jlf/ee(. 
501, 536 
660,522 
676,017 
717,650 
506,512 

M. 

to,  096 
14, 617 
11,506 
13, 030 

8,209 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1896 

Mfeet. 
498,000 
430, 248 
406,  907 
421, 372 
469,  246 

M. 

6,243 
13,232 
8,495 
8,547 
7,195 

M. 

42,809 

1888 

25,257 

Ig89 

31,468 

1890 

1801 

41, 310 
35,823 

•  Report  of  tlie  Buffalo  Merchants'  Exchauge,  1896,  p.  119. 
a  Timber  not  included. 


;  \ 


ail' 
Ixchauge.] 


Shingles. 


STATISTICS    OF    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


Tahle  V. 


103 


Receipts  of  lumber,  shingles,  laths,  and  miscellaneous  lumber  at  Cleveland  by  rail  and  lake.* 


.     By  rail. 

Tolal. 

M. 

M. 

r 

! 

I 

! 
S 
I 

I 
) 
5 

S 

r 

4 

)  1 

L  1 
1 

12,800 

'  123,201 

1865.... 
1866.... 


1867. 
1868. 
1869. 


Lumber. 


Shiiigles 


Lnths. 


By  lake.  \  By  rail.  ;    Total.    '  By  lake.  ;    Total,    i  By  lake.  |    Total. 


M  feet.  I   M  fett. 


»  are  taken  from  the 
liange  by  tlie  various 
cars  obtained  from  tlie 


1870 158,866 

1871 220584 

1872 101.079 

i873 192.  "8 

1874 167,708 

\V,h  140,980 

i|78 102609 

1877 154,144 

\V,f,  119,817 

\hra 208,393 

isM :::;:::::::::.:...: 2in;263 

isSl 321,130 

1882 317,810 

1883 3.'iO,696 

1884 329.791 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

loov  ■■.•••-••••••••••-•■•••-- 

1890 495,984 

1891 564,222 

1892 714,476 

1893 210,636 

1894 247,078 

1895 351,883 

1896 i  244,765 

1897 229,971 


Mftet.  \ 
83,  038  I 
120,911 
142, 445 
158.  220 
180,000 
173, 860 


130, 
153, 
187, 
174, 


545 
750 
275 
225 


377, 623 
505, 633 
432,040 
404, 196 


108,002 

115,819 

70,  507 

81,  919 

78,  691 

78,945 

73,  565 

112, 280 

101, 205 

126, 112 

96,797 

112, 142 

112,369 

102, 430 

86, 072 


3f. 

39, 294 
60,842 
69. 816 
74,921 
91, 888 
131, 102 


M. 


32. 
152, 
187, 
56, 
45, 
64, 
44, 


998 
882 
733 
483 
826 
699 
709 
158 


63, 173 
47,711 
41,562 
26,745 
41,  638 
3,  510 
34,318 
140, 488 
31,796 
21, 081 
19, 461 
29, 287 
34, 457 
36,  807 
31,273 


M. 

14,381 
26,650 
37,850 
42,021 
36,438 
63,178 


18, 537  I 
24, 598  I 
35.705 
36,324 
22,  762 
12, 109 
6,913 
16, 413 


r  Exchange.] 


By  lake. 

By  rail. 

No. 

No. 

. .     197, 110 

150,000 

. .     238, 570 

139,000 

..     3'2,600 

411, 520 

..      2.3,000 

175,000 

..      196,117 

275,000 

..      133.928 

263,500 

..     199,04' 

190,800 

..     328,052 

its  are  taken  from  the 
ge  by  the  varioug  rail- 


lake: 


.b 

Laths. 

Shingles. 

M. 

If. 

0 

6,243 

42,809 

8 

13,232 

25,267 

7 

8,496 

31,468 

2 

8,547 

41, 310 

6 

7,195 

35,823 

The  receipts  of  lumber  by  rail  also  Include  the  receipts  of  shingles  and  laths,    fiike  receipts  o 
mberl89Tl897  include  all  kinds  of  forest  products  other  than  shingles  and  laths,  as  logs,  posts,  and 


telephone°poie8."  "Keceipts'bylake'are'base^  npon  the  customhouse  reports. 

Table  VI. 


Receipts  of  lumber  and  shimjles  at  Toledo  by  lake. 


Tear. 


1880 
1881 
1882 
1883 
1884 
1886 
1886 
1887 
1888 


Lumber.   Shingles. 


Mftet.  \ 

197,011  i 

225, 350  \ 

218,000 

224,000 

216,000 

230,000 

160,000 

182,000 

335,000 


u. 

16,806 
8,697 
3,838 

12,600 
9,400 

10,100 
2,500 
6,100 
4,200 


Tear. 


1890 
1891 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1896 
1896 
1897 


Lumber. 


K  fett. 
168,000 
192, 000 
178,000 
173,000 
156,000 
144,000 
159,000 
127,000 
122,000 


Shingles. 


M. 

3,620 

4,929 

686 

400 

2,420 

2,076 

2,200 

400 

2,300 


*  This  table  was  furnished  by  Denisou  B.  Smith,  secretary  of  the  Toledo  Produce  Exchange. 


-    rill.-T»r.Ti...i  'ii-Fiif"»-'Vi' 


104  STATISTICS   OF   LAKE   COMMERCE. 

Table  VII. 
.  Receipts  and  sMpmeiits  of  lumber  and  shingle*  at  Detroit  by  lake  and  rail." 


Lumber. 


Year. 


I  Kecelpts 
I   by  lake. 


,  M.feet. 

1885 »7,665 

1888 i  78,191 

1887 1  9B,7S2 

1888 i  102,073 

1889 t  113,277 

1800 78,085 

1891 '  48,459 

189a !  54,789 

1893 :  54,429 

1804 49,835 


ReoelptH 

Total 

by  rail. 

receipts. 

M.feet. 

M.fett. 

eo,iu2 

166,867  , 

161, 094 

239, 885  ; 

20«,  895 

302,647  : 

;     197, 774 

299,  H47 

185,404 

298,681  i 

1     184, 538 

262,623  ' 

\    156,  M2 

205, 211 

194,180 

248,969 

139, 270 

193,699 

83,860 

133,795 

Total 
ship- 
luentB. 


M.feet. 
34,515 
68,769 
36, 858 
41,750 
63,753 
34, 202 
20,946 
26,641 
21,066 
16, 070 


Sblnglei. 


ReceipM  i 
by  lake.  I 


Keceipts 
by  rail. 


Total 
receipt*. 


M. 

None. 

3,339 

560 

1,750 

2,385 

None. 

008 

752 

2,420 

400 


jlf. 

30,712 

10«, 338 

37,670 

66,600 

117,  S30 

116,270 

105,980 

96,960 

95,760 

63,070 


Jf. 

30,712 

100,877 

38, 230 

68,350 

120,365 

116, 270 

106,888 

97,702 

98,180 

63,470 


Total 
shlp- 
menta. 


Jf. 

20,099 
41,060 
44,100 
68,300 
82,300 
36,120 
10, 640 

8,330 
10,430 

7,360 


^  This  table  was  compiled  by  the  secretary  of  the  Detroit  Board  of  Trade. 
Rates  for  unloading  lumber  from  veiselt  at  Chicago  during  the  season  of  1897. i 

Pine  lumber,  per  1,000  feet: 

1-inch  ami  U-imh *0.-iO 

H-inch  and  2-inth i. -f 

3-incli -** 

Pickets  and  shingles  to  rate  with  inch  lumber. 

Piece  stuff,  perl,000  feet ^2 

Laths  to  rate  with  piece  stuff. 

Timbers,  per  1,000  feet VrJ^'i 

Liunber  and  timber,  20  feet  and  over  in  length,  3  cents  extra  per  1,000  feet. 

Hemlock  and  basswood,  per  1,000  feet : 

l-inch ^ 

2-inih il 

3-inch on 

Hemlock  timber *" 

Hard- wood  lumber,  per  1,000  feet: 

1,  li,  U,  and  2  inch ^° 

3-inch ^^ 

4-inch - ^° 

Lumber  half  regular  rate  for  all  grades  for  keeping  dock. 

All  vesselH  carrying  over  500,000  feet  of  lumber,  per  1,000  feet  extra  for  entire 
cargo '.... "^ 

Ties:                 .  02 

Oak,  per  tie "^ 

Henilotk,  on  vessels  10  feet  deep  and  under  in  depth,  each "i* 

Hemlock,  on  vessels  over  10  feet  in  depth,  each 02 

Cedar,  per  tie - JJJl 

On  Santa  Fe  dock "i* 

Peeled  posts,  per  1,000 "-"^ 

Bark  posts,  per  1,000 '•"" 

$2  extra  per  1,000  for  keeping  dock. 

Telegraph  poles,  each :  -„ 

25-foot ^ 

30-foot J* 

35-foot VS 

40-foct ^ 


t  Rates  charged  by  the  Unloaders'  Union. 


RCE. 


'oit  hy  lake  and  rail,* 


Shlnglei. 


la 

Receipts 

Total 

Total 
Bhlp- 
mentB. 

e. 

by  rail. 

receipt*. 

jif. 

Jf. 

Jf. 

1. 

30,712 

80,712 

20,999 

9 

ion, »38 

109,077 

41,960 

0 

87,870 

38,230 

44,100 

>0 

66,auo 

68,850 

58,800 

5 

117,  S30 

120,865 

82,390 

PI. 

116,270 

116,270 

86,120 

8 

105,980 

106,888 

10,640 

>2 

96,960 

97,702 

8,330 

!0 

95,760 

98,180 

10,430 

)0 

63,070 

63,470 

7,860 

oit  Board  of  Trade. 


ring  the  leason  of  1897.  t 


$0.20 

22 

24 

22 

28 

ixtra  per  1,000  feet. 

22 

24 

"^S 

:;.; so 

28 

33 

36 

k. 

0  feet  extra  fur  entire 

; 05 

02 

1,  each 01} 

.  02 

Oli 

Oli 

6,00 

; 7.00 

03 

05 

08 

12 

Union. 


STATISTICS   OP    LAKE    COMMERCE. 


105 


RaitB  for  unloading  lumler  from  resseU  at  Tonawanda  during  the  season  of  1897.' 

The  rate  for  iinlotiding  white  inul  Norway  piiw  from  hiugeH  and  Hteamers  of  12i 
lei't  in  depth  of  hold,  or  less,  ( Jov.riinient  r.>,'iHl«r,  wuh  22  it-nts  per  M  until  October  1, 
and  24  cents  per  M  Iroui  October  1  until  the  end  of  the  seaaon,     Other  rates  were : 

•  Cents. 

Birch -   P^M-      35 

.,   „i„  do 35 

^P^" do....       35 

Anu 1  in 

oak ' *"••••  fx 

Basswood to....  -* 

Elm '"■■■■  f. 

Hemlock ""■■■  ^^ 

Bill  timber *""  |  35,  40 

Round  cediir  posts each..  J 

Split  posts uo....  I 

Cediir  railroad  ties ao....         ij 

Table  VIII. 

Freuihl  raUs  on  lumber  {per  1,000  feet)  from  Alpena,  Manistee,  Menominee,  Ashland,  and 

iJuluth,  to  Chivuyo  by  lake.  * 


Tear. 


Alpuiiu. 


1877 

187H 

1870 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 


$1.81 
1.14 


.22 


1.92 
2.01 
1.74 
1.64 
1.89 
2.511 


ManiH-  Mpiiom-:    Aah- 
teo.        inee.    i   land. 


♦1.27 
l.:i4 
1.77 
2.12 
2.18 
1.78 
1.85 
1.70 

l.-io 

1.58 
1.94 


Year. 


*i_  ..»    Manis-  Monom- 
Alpena.     ^^_    ,   ju^e. 


«1.46 
1.87  I 
2.27  I 
2.17  ! 
1.80 
1.85  ; 
1.50  ' 
1.54 
1.06 
2.11 


♦2. 12 
3.15 


1888 
1880 
1800 
1891 
1802 
1803 
1804 
1805 
1896 
1807 


$1.90 
1.59 


1.74 

1.58  1 

1.69 

1.50 

1.81 

1.G2 

1.01 

1.46 

1.41 

1.32 

1.36 

1.22 

1.16 

1.14 

1.18 

1.13 

.fl.  57 
1.40 
1.66 
1.59 
1.07 
1.48 
1.33 
1.27 
1.20 
1.10 


Ash- 
land. 


$2.73 
2.42 
2.51 
2.44 
2.91 
2.36 
2.00 
2.18 
1.85 
1.67 


*The  rates  from  Dnlutli,  Superior,  and  the  other  p.  rU  at  the  head  ot  Luke  Superior  are  aliaost 
nlwavH  tlie  same  as  those  fro.il  A»l.huul.  This  table  is  based  on  the  weekly  rates  published  by  the 
Nortliwestem  Lumberman,  which  taltes  great  pains  to  liave  its  quotations  correct. 

Table  IX. 

Production  of  lumber  in  the  Northwest.  * 


Tear. 


1873, 
1874. 
1875 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1879 


M.feet. 


8, 393, 780 
3, 761, 306 
3,968,653 
8,879,046 
3,  695, 333 
3,629,472 
4,806,943 


Year. 


M.feet. 


1880 

6,651,206 

1881 

6,768,856 

1882 

7,  .'552, 160 

1883 

7, 624, 789 

1884 

7, 935,  033 

1886 

7, 0.W,  094 

1886 

7,425,368 

Year. 


M.  feet. 


Year. 


1887 i  7,757,916 

1888 8,388,716 

1889 \  8,806,833 

1890 ;  8,664,604 

1891 1  7,943,137 

1892 1  8,902,748 

1893 i  7,599,748 


1894 
1895 
1896 
1897 


M.  feet. 


6,763,110 
7, 003, 398 
6,638,112 
6,233,4.54 


♦This  table  includes  the  Inmhct  produced  from  the  logs  cut  in  Michifjan,  Wisconsin,  and  Minnesota, 
and  from  logs  Imported  from  Ontario  and  sawed  in  Miehigaii  or  at  Lake  Erie  ports.  Logs  from  Minne- 
sota and  Wiaconsin  are  floated  down  tlie  Mississippi  fii  large  numbers  to  various  cities  and  there 
sawed.    The  lumber  produced  is  included.  „,     ,  ^  ..  •,    i.        >  <    ..u. «.. . 

This  table  was  compiled  liy  the  Northwestern  Lumberman.  The  details  may  be  found  In  the  issues 
of  this  paper  of  January  23,  1897,  and  January  22, 1898. 


'  The  Marine  Record,  May  13, 1897,  p.  9. 


H.  Doo.  277- 


106 


STATISTICS  OF   LAKE    COMMERCE. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT. 


In  the  preparation  of  the  foregoing  report  the  following  persons  have 
ndered  material  assistance:  Frank  E.  VVynian,  secretary  of  the  Duluth 


rendered 
Board 
chants' 
ber  of 


.  M.  Mulrooney,  editor  of  the  Marino  Keview;  Uapt.  John  Swainson, 
ditor  of  the  Marine  liecord;  A.  I.  Findley,  editor  of  The  Iron  Trade 
teview;   .lames  Peabody,    editor  of    '  '  Railway  and   Engineering 


J. 
editor 

Keview; -. , 

Review;  John  B.  Lucas,  editor  of  th'  .  Diamond;  U.  A.  BischofT, 

of  the  Chicago  Bureau  of  Coal  Sta-n^i^^;  The  Brown  Hoisting  and 
Conveying  Company;  John  McMyler,  of  the  McMyler  Manufacturing 
Company;  A.  B.  Wolvin,  president  of  The  Zenith  Transit  Company; 
B.  L.  Pennington,  of  Cleveland;  Melion  Pattisou,  Capt.  J.  8.  Dun- 
ham, Franklin  II.  Head,  George  Merry  weather,  W.  S.  Bogle,  E.  C. 
Chandler,  George  W.  Hotchkiss,  O,  S.  Whitmore,  of  Chicago;  W.  I. 
Babcock,  manager  of  the  Chicago  Shipbuilding  Company;  W.  J. 
Olcott,  vice-president  of  Duluth,  Mesaba  and  Northern  liailroad  Com- 
pany; J.  L.  Greatsinger,  president  of  the  Duluth  and  Iron  Range  Rail- 
road Company,  and  E.  D.  Cowles,  of  Saginaw, 
lamalso  indebted  tothe  following  gentlemen  for  valuable  aid:  Thomas 


L.  M.  Bowers,  general  manager  of  the  Bessemer  Steamship  Company; 
W.  G.  Mather,  president  of  the  Lake  Superior  and  Ishpeming  Railway 
Company;  James  Pickands,  president  of  the  Minnesota  Steamship  Com- 
pany; L.  C.  Hanna,  president  of  the  Menominee  Transit  Company; 
W.  D.  Rees,  treasurer  of  the  Lake  Superior  Iron  Company;  Alexander 
Backus,  president  Vulcan  Iron  \v^ork8,  and  R.  L.  Ireland,  assistant 
secretary  of  the  Globe  Iron  Works. 


uKRC£* 


le  following  persons  have 
,n,  secretary  of  the  Duluth 
bary  of  the  Buffalo  Mer- 
of  the  Milwaukee  Chani- 
r  of  the  Chicago  Board  of 
sapolis  Chamber  of  Coui- 
ifork  Produce  Exchange; 
id  Chamber  of  Commerce; 
v;  Capt.  John  Swainson, 
editor  of  The  Iron  Trade 
ailway  and  Engineering 
iJiamoud;  H.  A.  BischofK 
'he  Brown  Hoisting  and 
5  McMyler  Manufacturing 
Zenith  Transit  Company; 
ittison,  Capt.  J.  8.  Duu- 
,ther,  W.  8.  Bogle,  E.  C. 
tmore,  of  Chicago;  W.  I. 
ilding  Company;  W.  J. 
I  Northern  Kailroad  Com- 
iuth  and  Iron  Range  Bail- 

V. 

!  for  valuable  aid :  Thomas 
ron  llange  Kailroad  Com- 
a  Steel  Company;  J.  H. 
»dy,  A.  I.  Valentine,  of 
n  Elevating  Association; 
mer  Steamship  Company ; 
>r  and  Ishpeming  Railway 
^1  inuesota  Steamship  Com- 
minee  Transit  Company; 
ron  Company ;  Alexander 
I  B.  L.  Ireland,  assistant 


■•>  ,.« 


\.- 


mm 


uuim»mmaw^i!iv-'!i'i^mm»»^>Mmma!^viUimiii-K^ 


